Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye, has warned the club against signing Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
Kaizer Chiefs are said to be in the market for another goalkeeper despite signing Fiacre Ntwari ahead of this season.
Chiefs have been subpar in the goalkeeping department with Ntwari as well as his colleagues Bruce Bvuma and Brandon Petersen not considered good enough, increasing the urgency for another shot stopper.
That has brought Chippa United captain Stanley Nwabali into the fray with the Nigerian termed as the best choice but not everyone agrees with that assessment.
According to Junior Khanye, the Chilli Boys' shotstopper is equally error-prone and thus is not a perfect fit to solve the goalkeeping problems at Amakhosi.
“I think the fact that he is a Nigerian international as first-choice goalkeeper can be blinding because Nigeria has a superior team that covers him sometimes,” Khanye said, as quoted by iDiski Times.
“But this guy, when I watch and observe him, he gives away a lot of goals, especially high balls. They don’t beat him at the bottom, but take advantage of his height.
“I mean, sometimes he’ll get a ball and then spill it; he makes high school mistakes. So to answer you, if he’s suitable for Chiefs, I know they can’t bring [Itumeleng] Khune back, but can they get a talented goalkeeper who can also play with his feet? A good stopper with good reflexes, talented and plays with his feet. I’m talking about a star goalkeeper.”
Khanye, however, does not feel that what Chiefs need in a goalkeeper is available in South Africa at the moment.
“They must go do their research, and I don’t think I see anyone in the Betway Premiership now. So no, I don’t think he’s a good goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs because he didn’t only make a blunder in this game (against Downs),” added Khanye, after watching Nwabali spill the ball and allow Mamelodi Sundowns to score their third goal in their 3-0 win over Chippa United on Wednesday.
“I know the technical team might say something different, and I think someone is selling this guy. I mean, even if you look at the second goal (against Mamelodi Sundowns), he was supposed to handle that ball; he’s taller than everyone; he can probably touch the crossbar without jumping.
“For me, he can’t do the basics. Chiefs, with the crisis they have, they can get a proper scout to look for a proper goalkeeper,” Khanye concluded.
Chiefs began the season with Ntwari in goal before he was dropped for Petersen and now, Bvuma has played extensively since the end of 2024.
By: Pascal Amoah
