Former South African goalkeeper Motsoeneng Tshepo has warned Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali that he could remain without a club for a long time if he is hoping to secure a move to one of the Premier Soccer League’s biggest teams.
Tshepo said Nwabali would struggle to displace established goalkeepers at top PSL clubs such as Kaizer Chiefs Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Nwabali recently terminated his contract with Chippa United despite having six months left on the deal, making him a free agent eligible to sign for another club before the end of the season.
Speaking to KickOff, Tshepo suggested that Nwabali may have been influenced by promises of interest from other clubs.
“I think Nwabali decided to leave Chippa United, and there might have been an agent who told him there was interest from another club,” he said.
Tshepo explained that Chippa United owner Chippa Mpengesi is known for allowing unhappy players to leave.
“I know Chippa Mpengesi well because I worked with him before, and he doesn’t block a player who isn’t happy at the club anymore,” he added.
Despite speculation linking Nwabali with a move to Europe, Tshepo argued that the Nigerian goalkeeper has not yet proven he is superior to those currently starring in the PSL.
“I don’t think Nwabali has moved beyond the PSL. Chippa is trying to avoid being relegated, and for Nwabali, he had to show at Chippa without any clear doubt that he had grown beyond the PSL.
“He first has to be a really great goalkeeper in the PSL to move past it,” he said.
Tshepo also criticised Nwabali’s performances this season, noting a decline after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations.
“Since the start of this season, Nwabali’s performance hasn’t been up to the standard it should be.
“After returning from the AFCON in Morocco, maybe he thought he would get a new opportunity from another team, but that didn’t happen,” he said.
Questioning where Nwabali would fit among the PSL elite, Tshepo highlighted the strength of the goalkeeping options at the top clubs.
“At Kaizer Chiefs, they have Brandon Petersen and he is showing this season that he is the right person for the role.
“At Orlando Pirates, there’s Sipho Chaine who is winning trophies and wants to be included in the Bafana Bafana World Cup team, but he’s behind Ricardo Goss.
“At Mamelodi Sundowns, they have the country’s top player, Ronwen Williams,” he said.
Tshepo added that signing a foreign goalkeeper as a first choice at such clubs would create problems.
“Remember, you signed a foreign goalkeeper to be the number one, but now when you bring him to Sundowns, what happens to Ronwen? Where will he work alongside the top three? They have no space for Nwabali,” he said.
He concluded that all three clubs already have goalkeepers capable of representing South Africa at the World Cup, making Nwabali’s chances of breaking into those teams extremely slim.
