Maybe Nwabali should’ve stayed at Chippa, says Troost-Ekong

Ex-Nigeria skipper William Troost-Ekong is of the view that Super Eagles No 1 keeper Stanley Nwabali should’ve stayed at Chippa until the end of the season.

Hoping for greener pastures off the back of a brilliant Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Nigeria, where they won bronze in Morocco in January, Nwabili abruptly terminated his Chippa contract in February, four months before its expiry date.

Since then, the 30-year-old, highly rated keeper has struggled to find a new team, prompting him to lose his spot in the Super Eagles in recent camps.

“Obviously I can’t speak for Stanley, but based on how things have unfolded now, maybe it would’ve been a better decision to remain with Chippa,” Troost-Ekong said during a virtual SuperSport-organised discussion with the continent’s journalists last Friday.

“That’s me speaking from the outside because, of course, we don’t know what occurred between him and the club. It’s a difficult one. I think seeing Stanley’s rise over the last years has been amazing.

“I think he’s been the soldier we need for the national team. He had a fantastic Afcon twice in a row, which is very difficult to do.”

Troost-Ekong, who announced his retirement from international football last December, thinks Nwabali terminating his contract outside the transfer window further complicated things, hoping he will get a club before the start of the new season.

“I think probably the situation hasn’t been favourable for him because I think the time he terminated his contract with the club was outside the transfer window, which made it very difficult for him to find a new club,” the ex-Nigeria captain said.

“So, it’s been tough. I’ve spoken to Stanley a lot as well. I know he’s been training, keeping fit. Hopefully there’s going to be a good opportunity that comes his way now in the summer.

“It’s a difficult one, but I am sure he’s going to find a club and return back to playing his club football because we need him for the national team. For me, he’s too much of a good goalkeeper to be without a club.”

Sowetan