Chippa United coach Kwanele Kopo has shared more details of the role veteran midfielder Andile Jali is expected to play at the club.
Jali made his Chippa debut on Wednesday and was a marvel to watch against former club Orlando Pirates in a Betway Premiership match at Orlando Stadium.
The 34-year-old scored a long-range goal but was not enough to help the Chilli Boys avoid the 2-1 defeat to the Soweto giants.
Kopo praised Jali, who only played the first half, for his performance and how he pushed himself to get in shape.
Jali had been without a club for about six months after he was part of the players who were sacked by the financially challenged Moroka Swallows in January.
During his unveiling as a new signing for Kopo’s side, the former Mamelodi Sundowns and KV Oostende star looked a bit heavy for a footballer due to his inactivity.
“He has been massive for the club. Since he joined us, Andile has trained very hard after a couple of months of no activity having left Swallows in November,” Kopo told media at Orlando Stadium.
“When we started pre-season, he would be in training an hour before everybody else at the gym.
“He is not one hundred per cent yet but because of the challenges we had in central midfield, we felt that even if he gave us 60 minutes of leadership,” the coach said.
“And we knew with him we would be on the ball more.”
Whilst on the field, Chippa were in control of the game and kept Pirates under massive pressure.
Kopo said Jali forms a key leadership group with goalkeeper and skipper Stanley Nwabali, Justice Chabalala and striker Bienvenu Eva Nga.
“We have got a youngster playing centre-back, Thabang Malaoa, who hasn’t played much, and we needed an Andile to guide our build-ups to give these youngsters confidence,” Kopo said.
“(We needed him) to help (Baraka) Majogoro, who is not good with communication. He is struggling with English.
“Andile is going to play a massive role in the team and I’m so happy for him that he scored because so many people would have probably expected the worst.
“People said ‘Ja, he is going to come back overweight and all that, but I think the quality shows that he is there. The fitter he gets, the stronger he is going to make us become,” he said.
“His influence is massive for us.
“He is the coach on the field that we need, and I think he is going to help the team going forward together with Stanley, Justice and Eva up front. They form the spine of the team.”
Chippa will be hoping to register their first win of the season when they host Richards Bay FC at Buffalo City Stadium in East London on Saturday at 20:00.
Andile Jali refused to celebrate against his old club as he scored a cracker in the first half of their encounter against Orlando Pirates.
— 𝙃𝙄𝙂𝙃-𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙎 ⚽️ (@HighPressZA) September 18, 2024
Give that man a Bells 🔥👌🏽 pic.twitter.com/7EoTe53Hgf
