Chippa United goalkeepers' trainer Sean Louw claims Nigeria custodian Stabley Nwabali is yet to buy him a Mercedes Benz as promised prior to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast at the turn of the year.
The Super Eagles were desperate to get a reliable custodian after Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho mistakes cost the team in crucial assignments.
Former Nigeria coach made a trip to scout Stanley Nwabali who was having a good time at the Premier Soccer League side Chippa. He had to be convinced the 27-year-old had what it takes to take the goalkeeping role for the national team.
The shot-stopper's initial involvement was in 2021 when the West Africans played Mexico in an international friendly staged in Los Angeles, and his chances to feature in the biennial competitions were almost zero.
‘If you make a mistake you are under siege' – How Louw stood by Nwabali
Peseiro had doubts about Nwabali abilities, especially in Africa's biggest competition with Nigeria being listed among the favourites.
“He [Peseiro] said ‘if you make one mistake [regarding Nwabali] you are under siege,” the Chilli Boys keepers' trainer revealed to iDiski Times.
“I said ‘No, not the arrogant, not the big boy Stanley that I know, not this one. This one is going to make you proud [at Afcon].”
“Coach Jose [Peseiro] said to me ‘I’m a young boy' but I speak like someone who knows what he is doing and I challenged him to back that up with action.”
Unbelievable! Doubting Nwabali made a huge promise, but is yet to deliver
Getting a chance to play for Nigeria – especially if you are based in Africa, is not a walk in the park since hundreds of quality players are based overseas.
It is the reason, maybe, why it was hard for Nwabali to believe that he had a good chance of starting in between the posts at Afcon as explained by Louw.
“I told Stanley that he is going to play in the Afcon and he said ‘I will never play for Nigeria in Afcon as long as I am playing for Chippa'.
“I said ‘ challenge accepted', he said if he plays Afcon he will buy me a Mercedes Benz; until today I am still waiting for my Mercedes Benz.”
Liverpool legend Gerrard among the managers interested in the goalkeeper.
Nwabali put up an exemplary performance at Afcon and kept four clean sheets as the Super Eagles reached the final but narrowly lost to the hosts.
The Chilli Boys shot-stopper had done his part which attracted the interest of several teams in South Africa and abroad. As revealed by Louw, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard – who is currently managing Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, is among those interested in the goalkeeper.
“The event even came when Stanley started the first game he played all the games in the Afcon, and now he’s in the books [shortlist] of Steven Gerrard, he’s in the books of QPR, he’s in the books of many teams.”
Nwabali is open to joining any big team either in the PSL or abroad as long as Chippa United's asking price is met.
