Motsoeneng: Nwabali Has Not Outgrown PSL Despite Chippa United Exit

Former South African goalkeeper Motsoeneng Tshepo has questioned Stanley Nwabali’s decision to leave Chippa United, insisting the Nigerian international has not yet outgrown the Premier Soccer League.

Nwabali parted ways with Chippa United last week on mutual consent after four years at the club. Speaking to KickOff, Motsoeneng suggested the move may have been influenced by external assurances.

‘I think for Nwabali to terminate at Chippa United obviously there might be an agent who told him there’s an interest somewhere,’ he said. ‘And knowing Chippa Mpengesi whom I worked with closely at some point, he doesn’t stand in the way of a player who is not happy at the club anymore.’

Despite links with a potential move to Europe or top African clubs, Motsoeneng believes Nwabali has not yet proven himself in the PSL.

‘I don’t think Nwabali has outgrown the PSL. Chippa is fighting relegation, and for Nwabali he needed to prove at Chippa without reasonable doubt if he had outgrown the PSL. He first needs to be an outstanding goalkeeper in the PSL to outgrow it,’ the 46-year-old former shot-stopper stated.

He further criticized the Nigerian’s recent form.

‘Since this season started Nwabali’s performance has not been where it should have been. After coming back from the AFCON in Morocco maybe he thought he was gonna receive an offer from outside, and that didn’t happen,’ Motsoeneng said.

The ex-goalkeeper also ruled out the possibility of Nwabali displacing any of the top goalkeepers at South Africa’s biggest clubs.

‘If he is aiming to move to one of the big three where will he go? Kaizer Chiefs have Brandon Petersen who is proving this season that he is the right man for the job. At Orlando Pirates, you have a Sipho Chaine who is winning trophies and wants to be squeezed into the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad behind Ricardo Goss.

‘At Mamelodi Sundowns you have the country’s number 1 in Ronwen Williams. Remember you sign a foreign goalkeeper for him to be number 1, but now when you bring him to Sundowns then what must happen to Ronwen? Where will he fit in with the big three? They have no space for Nwabali. All three clubs their first choice goalkeepers have a chance to go to the World Cup,’ he stressed.