Stanley Nwabali: What is wrong with the Super Eagles goalkeeper? 

Nwabali’s career is currently in limbo, despite his excellent performance for the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

It is funny how a player can go from the top of his game to searching for a club with less than six months to go before the season shuts down.  

Nwabali's career sabotage

This is the situation Stanley Nwabali has put himself in after deciding to leave Chippa United midseason for reasons known to him. 

The Super Eagles goalkeeper was arguably at the peak of his career just last month after helping Nigeria achieve a third-place finish at AFCON 2025. 

However, just a few weeks after his AFCON heroics, Nwabali’s career is now in limbo, as he is without a club, which is quite strange. 

The 29-year-old mutually parted ways with Chippa on February 5, with both parties releasing a statement that came out of nowhere. 

The Port Elizabeth club was the first to release a statement, which read: "Chippa United Football Club confirms that Stanley Nwabali has formally submitted a request to depart club. After careful consideration, the club has agreed to grant his release.”

Chippa’s statement revealed that the club was not ready to let go of the Nigerian goalkeeper but had to let him leave after he requested to leave the club. 

So, why did Nwabali request to leave the club? In fairness, only the Super Eagles goalkeeper can answer the question, but it makes no sense to leave a club with no new club in place. 

Nwabali confirmed in an interview that he has no offer on the table, and he is not in a rush to sign for any club. 

"There is no contract in front, there is no club in front," he said. "And I am not guaranteeing you that a club will come today or tomorrow.

"I am not desperate to get a club, but whatever club that comes, if it suits my agent and it suits me, I am going to play."

Reading Nwabali’s statement makes his decision more baffling because he should not have left Chippa if he knew he had no offer on the table. 

What could have gone so badly at the club that he could not wait for six months before deciding to leave? Why would you leave in the middle of the season if you had no new club in place? 

It looked like the former overplayed his hand, and that will probably stall his career for at least six months. 

Considering momentum was on his side after his AFCON heroics, Nwabali would have been better off riding the wave for the next six months before leaving the South African club. 

Now, he is in a situation where he might not play for the next five months, which is not ideal for a goalkeeper, especially a goalkeeper who wants to keep his spot as Nigeria’s number one. 

His current situation has potentially opened the door for Maduka Okoye to take his spot, even though the Super Eagles will not play a competitive game until September. 

While Nwabali might want to argue that he has done enough to keep his spot, his lack of activity will make it hard to justify his selection. 

Of all the positions on the pitch, the goalkeeping position is that one spot where you cannot afford to have a player not playing regularly. 

What's next for Nwabali? 

Although there had been reports that he was close to signing for Simba FC before leaving Chippa, that move never happened. 

He has also been linked with a move to three of South Africa’s biggest clubs, but they are unlikely to make changes mid-season. 

It is even unlikely that these clubs will return in the summer because clubs do not make changes to the goalkeeping department unless there is an urgent need. 

This leaves Nwabali with no option but to return home. Reports claim that Rivers United will be willing to take the Nigerian on a loan till the summer, but it all depends on Nwabali. 

Will his ego allow him to take such an option, considering the level of the Nigerian league? A move back home will be considered a downgrade and could spell the end of a potential move abroad. 

Nonetheless, whatever happens in the future, Nwabali will have to deal with the consequences of his action.