Stanley Nwabali not desperate to leave Chippa United as European interests rise

Nigeria’s Super Eagles first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has reiterated his fondness for South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL), amidst rumours linking him to Europe.

Ever since he broke into the limelight at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Nwabali has reportedly been a subject of interest to a couple of European clubs, with English Championship side Queens Park Rangers said to be leading the race.

However, Nwabali believes if Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams can make a name for himself by playing at Sundowns, then the PSL is also good enough for him.

“Ronwen Williams is at Sundowns, he gets everything he wants, he’s got the name, the sponsor, his family is here, everyone is supporting him, he’s the captain of Bafana Bafana, to me the league is okay,” Nwabali told Far Post.

The ex-Enyimba star continued by throwing jibes at the West African leagues for their shambolic operations.

“The league, the pay is a little bit nice for [depending on] a certain level of your team. It’s not like in West Africa where our leagues are not that good. We want to go to Europe, we want to go to South Africa, we want to go to Morocco, all those kinds of leagues, if your league is nice there’s no point in you leaving.

“If your league is nice, you’re getting paid, you’re getting sponsors, what are you leaving for?

“If you want to challenge yourself, you can still leave. It depends on you if you can cope there. If you can’t cope there, it’s fine to just come back and play your football,” the 27-year-old continued.

Nwabali is expected to retain his starting position ahead of Nigeria’s must-win World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and the Benin Republic in June.

He has conceded 26 goals and kept 10 clean sheets in 27 games for Chipper United this season.