NEWS: DStv Premiership veteran Andile Jali an important signing for Chippa, says Thabo September

Jali, who signed for Swallows from Sundowns, only featured 13 times last season before injury cut his season short and he last played an official match for the Dube Birds in December.

READ: Bloody Thieves: ‘Sekhukhune United should change their name to Sekhukhune Jomo Cosmos, they took my midfielder and goalkeeper, they never paid anything’ – Jomo Sono

But with September and fellow co-coach Kwanele Kopo hoping to build on their 12th placed finish, they are well aware of the experience that Jali can bring to the team.

September said in the Sowetan: “Andile was retired in his mind already, so we had to talk with him because he is not just an ordinary player. He’s a player that can have a big influence in the squad, so we want that. We know that his legs are not going to carry him the whole season, so we have to manage that.

“We have a lot of young players that have joined the club ahead of the new season and he’s going to help in terms of guiding them.

“He has a big, big role to play for us this season and he’s the homeboy from the Eastern Cape, so that also is going to help the club in terms of the supporters, to bring in the numbers to stadiums. He’s going to play a major role for us and it’s not just about football.”

September added that Jali will only be fit to play in September.

“In August he’s definitely not going to be there for the start of the season. He’s still working on his fitness. We will give him time. He’s got the right mentality, so we expect September to be his time to start playing,” the coach revealed.