‘Best For Me’ – Nwabali Speaks After Return To South African Club

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has returned to South African Premiership side Chippa United, five months after his sudden departure from the club.

Naija News reports that the Eastern Cape-based outfit announced the goalkeeper’s return on Saturday, bringing an end to months of speculation surrounding his future after both parties mutually terminated his contract in February.

Neither Nwabali nor Chippa United disclosed the full reasons for the separation at the time, although the Nigerian international suggested that the decision was connected to his happiness and personal well-being.

His representative, Mohammed Lawal, has now revealed that the goalkeeper stepped away from football after suffering the loss of three close family members within a short period.

According to Lawal, Nwabali needed time to grieve and regain emotional stability before returning to competitive football.

Speaking shortly after leaving Chippa United, Nwabali said the decision to walk away from the club was difficult but necessary.

“It is best you are being comfortable and enjoying the moment.

“It was a strong decision, not a really nice decision and I felt it is best for me. Football is something that deals with happiness, your happiness comes first. I am happy with the club, but it is something that both parties understand,” he told South Africa’s Metro FM.

The decision surprised many football followers because it came shortly after the goalkeeper signed a new long-term contract with the South African club.

Nwabali, however, maintained that his relationship with Chippa United remained cordial.

“I might say goodbye now, but not forever.

“It was a strong decision, not a really nice decision and I felt it is best for me.

“The chairman has been like a father to me, understanding literally every day. When I talked to him, it was difficult to take that kind of decision, but he felt like it would be best for me,” he said.

Goalkeeper Suffered Three Family Losses

Lawal said Nwabali’s decision had nothing to do with a disagreement with the club or an attempt to secure a move elsewhere.

Speaking with the goalkeeper’s permission, the agent explained that Nwabali lost his grandmother, father and mother within a short period.

The goalkeeper’s grandmother died shortly before Nigeria’s November 2024 World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic.

His father, Godspower Nwabali, also died around the same period, shortly after the goalkeeper featured in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw. He subsequently left the Super Eagles camp to mourn.

Nwabali’s mother, Grace, later died on January 1, 2025.

Lawal said the sequence of losses placed a heavy emotional burden on the goalkeeper and affected his outlook on football.

According to him, those close to Nwabali encouraged him to take a temporary break rather than make a permanent decision that could damage his career.

“We told him, ‘This isn’t you. Take time away before you do permanent damage to your career,’” Lawal said.

Before stepping away from football, Nwabali had revealed that he informed Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi that he was considering quitting the game.

He said his national teammates persuaded him to continue.

Lawal explained that the goalkeeper was not prepared to publicly discuss the personal struggles behind his decision at the time.

“You ask why he and the club didn’t publicly say he was taking time off for his mental health. But it wasn’t something they planned together. Stanley simply realised he needed to step away and he asked to be released.

“People deal with things differently. At that time, he didn’t want to tell anyone what he was going through. He believed he could handle it himself. Sometimes you want to appear strong, but inside you’re suffering,” he said.

The agent added that Nwabali was entitled to keep the matter private until he felt comfortable discussing it.

“These are private matters. He doesn’t owe anyone a detailed explanation about his personal life until he is ready to. Not everyone wants to make those things public, and people should respect that,” Lawal said.

Exit Not Caused By Transfer Offers

Lawal dismissed suggestions that Nwabali left Chippa United because he felt he had outgrown the South African league or had received more attractive offers elsewhere.

“It had nothing to do with the league, feeling bigger than the club, or receiving offers from elsewhere. He did it for himself so he could return to playing at the level he is capable of.

“He had a mutual understanding with the chairman of Chippa United, Siviwe ‘Chippa’ Mpengesi,” the agent said.

He explained that the goalkeeper had to deal with new family responsibilities following the deaths of his parents.

“It has been very difficult for Stanley.

“People don’t always know what is going on with these players. They only see them on the field. They know them as footballers, but they don’t know that they are human beings too. Like everyone else, they go through life’s challenges,” he said.

Lawal added that the situation began to affect Nwabali’s performances and temperament during international matches.

“After losing his parents, he became responsible for everything. There was a lot he needed to take care of. As a professional, he knew he had to keep playing, but it was affecting him,” he said.

Lawal said the goalkeeper’s emotional struggles may have contributed to a noticeable change in his conduct during some Super Eagles matches.

“If you look back, you’ll see the difference. Stanley used to be lively and always smiling. During the last AFCON and the World Cup qualifiers, he became unusually aggressive. He was shouting at teammates and confronting opponents. But that wasn’t the real Stanley.

“When he first started playing for Nigeria, everyone talked about how calm he was under pressure. Later, people thought he had become overconfident or aggressive. They didn’t know what was happening inside him,” he said.

He maintained that footballers often face personal difficulties away from the public eye, even when they continue to perform on the pitch.

The representative also disclosed that Nwabali received offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia, other African countries and England during his period away from football.

He said the deals did not collapse, as widely speculated, but the goalkeeper chose not to accept them because he was not ready to return.

“There were many offers for him, and people thought those deals fell through. They didn’t.

“Stanley just decided he wasn’t ready to go back into football at that time. He needed to step away, grieve, deal with everything, and come back in a better state of mind,” Lawal said.

He added, “There was serious interest from Saudi Arabia, Africa, even England, but once we explained the situation, they understood. Stanley decided to stay out of the game for a few months and get himself in order.”

Chelle Supported  Goalkeeper

Lawal said Nwabali received professional support during his break and remained in contact with Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle.

According to him, the national team coach regularly checked on the goalkeeper and gave him the space required to recover.

“Now Stanley is ready. He’s more than ready. He’s taken the time he needed, and the national team coach, Eric Chelle, also supported him throughout the process, communicating with him constantly.

“He had people who believed in him and gave him the space to heal,” he said.

Lawal added that people should pay greater attention to the well-being of professional athletes beyond their performances.

“Sometimes a person simply needs someone to ask how they’re really doing. You can be physically okay but not mentally okay,” he said.

The agent said Nwabali’s positive relationship with Chippa United made his return to the club possible.

“He maintained a good relationship with Chippa United. The chairman understood his situation because Stanley explained everything. If Stanley had left after fighting with the chairman or forcing his way out, the club would never have welcomed him back.

“Because they understood why he needed to leave, they were happy to receive him again. That’s why he’s back, and there’s no better place for him to restart than Chippa United,” he said.

Lawal also explained that returning to a familiar environment would help the goalkeeper regain his best form.

“Another reason why he returned to Chippa United is because they already know him. If he had joined a new club after being out for several months, they would only know him as a goalkeeper, not as a person. They wouldn’t understand everything he had been through.

“At Chippa, everyone knows him. They understand him. Instead of starting from the bottom in a new environment, he is returning to a place where people know who he is. That gives him the best chance to get back to the level he was at before,” he added.

Nwabali became a household name following his impressive performances for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up.