Siphiwe Tshabalala, a former Kaizer Chiefs player, has spoken out about turning down a foreign team that had approached him.
Shabba says he has not yet retired, although he has had trouble locating a nearby club.
This is his second season without a club.
WHAT HAPPENED? The former Bafana Bafana player, who has been without a club for the past two seasons, insists he has not yet retired. The 38-year-old explains why he declined the international offer and why he instead likes to play locally. Even though there has been interest from outside of South Africa, he has had trouble finding a club in his home country. Tshabalala previously spent a brief period of time playing in Turkey, but he later returned home after his side was demoted to the second division. The seasoned offensive midfielder last appeared for AmaZulu in the 2020–21 campaign, where he saw little action.
WHAT TSHABALALA SAID: According to Soccer Laduma, Tshabalala stated, “Someone contacted me a text about an opportunity to play abroad, but I did not consider it.” I need to do a lot at home, not just in terms of football but also in terms of my role in growth and my academic goals. I want to concentrate more on that at home.
“Undoubtedly, I believe that South Africa’s age factor is still a problem. Once you reach a particular age, you are considered old, but what you can still do is not as important as your age, so that is still a significant component.
Tshabalala feels he still has a lot to offer as a player, but given that this is his second season without a club, catching up may be challenging if he signs with a new team. To get himself in condition and play competitively at 38 might be a difficult feat. Tshabalala joins Wayne Arendse, a former defender for Mamelodi Sundowns, who is also 38 and claims he has not yet retired.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO TSHABALALA? Tshabalala is still looking for a new place to live, so it remains to be seen if he will find a club this season. He is a free agent and is free to sign with any team he wants.