Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has returned to South African club, Chippa United, five months after unexpectedly leaving the team, with his agent revealing that the decision was driven by grief rather than football.
The Nigerian international rejoined the Eastern Cape club after both parties ended his contract by mutual consent in February, bringing an end to months of speculation over the circumstances surrounding his departure.
His representative, Mohammed Lawal, has now disclosed that Nwabali stepped away from the game to cope with the devastating loss of three close family members within a short period.
Chippa United confirmed the goalkeeper’s return on Saturday after months away from competitive football.
When he left the club in February, neither Nwabali nor Chippa United publicly explained the reason behind the separation, although the goalkeeper hinted that the decision was necessary for his personal happiness and well-being.
Speaking to South Africa’s Metro FM shortly after leaving the club, Nwabali said the decision was painful but unavoidable.
“It is best you are being comfortable and enjoying the moment.
“It was a strong decision, not a really nice decision and I felt it was best for me. Football is something that deals with happiness, your happiness comes first. I am happy with the club, but it is something that both parties understand,” he said.
His departure surprised many, coming just weeks after he had signed a new long-term contract with Chippa United.
However, Lawal explained in an interview with ESPN on Wednesday, with Nwabali’s permission, that the goalkeeper’s decision had nothing to do with disagreements with the club or transfer offers from elsewhere.
According to him, Nwabali needed time away from football after suffering a series of heartbreaking family losses.
His grandmother died just weeks before Nigeria’s November 2024 World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic.
Around the same period, his father, Godspower Nwabali, passed away shortly after the goalkeeper featured in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw, forcing him to leave the Super Eagles camp to mourn.
Tragedy struck again when his mother, Grace Nwabali, died on January 1, 2025.
Lawal said the emotional weight of losing his grandmother and both parents within such a short period left the goalkeeper struggling.
Before eventually taking a break from football, Nwabali revealed during the Africa Cup of Nations that he had told Super Eagles captain, Wilfred Ndidi, he wanted to quit, but his teammates convinced him to continue.
Lawal said those close to the goalkeeper advised him against making career-changing decisions while dealing with grief.
“We told him, ‘This isn’t you. Take time away before you do permanent damage to your career,’” he said.
Despite stepping away from football, Nwabali deliberately chose not to disclose the personal reasons behind his decision.
In his interview with Metro FM, he remained guarded about the circumstances.
“I might say goodbye now, but not forever.
“It was a strong decision, not a really nice decision and I felt it is best for me.
“The Chairman has been like a father to me, understanding literally every day. When I talked to him, it was difficult to take that kind of decision, but he felt like it would be best for me,” he said.
Lawal explained that Nwabali was simply not ready to discuss his private struggles publicly.
“You ask why he and the club didn’t publicly say he was taking time off for his mental health. But it wasn’t something they planned together. Stanley simply realised he needed to step away and he asked to be released.
“People deal with things differently. At that time, he didn’t want to tell anyone what he was going through. He believed he could handle it himself. Sometimes you want to appear strong, but inside you’re suffering.
“These are private matters. He doesn’t owe anyone a detailed explanation about his personal life until he is ready to. Not everyone wants to make those things public, and people should respect that.
“It had nothing to do with the league, feeling bigger than the club, or receiving offers from elsewhere. He did it for himself so he could return to playing at the level he is capable of. He had a mutual understanding with the Chairman of Chippa United, Siviwe ‘Chippa’ Mpengesi,” he said.
Lawal added that football fans often overlook the personal battles players face away from the pitch.
“It has been very difficult for Stanley.
“People don’t always know what is going on with these players. They only see them on the field. They know them as footballers, but they don’t know that they are human beings too. Like everyone else, they go through life’s challenges.
“After losing his parents, he became responsible for everything. There was a lot he needed to take care of. As a professional, he knew he had to keep playing, but it was affecting him and if he continued, he was going to destroy himself because when you’re not in the right mental state, it shows.
“You could see it during some of his games for the national team. People probably thought he was fighting with his teammates.”
Lawal also linked the goalkeeper’s change in behaviour during recent Super Eagles matches to the emotional pain he was carrying.
“If you look back, you’ll see the difference. Stanley used to be lively and always smiling. During the last AFCON and the World Cup qualifiers, he became unusually aggressive. He was shouting at teammates and confronting opponents. But that wasn’t the real Stanley.
“When he first started playing for Nigeria, everyone talked about how calm he was under pressure. Later, people thought he had become overconfident or aggressive. They didn’t know what was happening inside him.”
According to Lawal, Nwabali received several offers while he was away from football but declined them because he was not mentally ready to return.
“There were many offers for him, and people thought those deals fell through. They didn’t.
“Stanley just decided he wasn’t ready to go back into football at that time. He needed to step away, grieve, deal with everything, and come back in a better state of mind.
“There was serious interest from Saudi Arabia, Africa even England, but once we explained the situation, they understood.
Stanley decided to stay out of the game for a few months and get himself in order.”
He added that Nwabali sought professional support during his break and received constant encouragement from Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle.
“Now Stanley is ready. He’s more than ready. He’s taken the time he needed, and the national team coach, Eric Chelle, also supported him throughout the process, communicating with him constantly.
“He had people who believed in him and gave him the space to heal.
“People only realise these things after tragedies. They start looking back and saying the signs were there all along. Sometimes a person simply needs someone to ask how they’re really doing. You can be physically okay but not mentally okay.”
Lawal said the strong relationship between Nwabali and Chippa United ultimately paved the way for his return.
“He maintained a good relationship with Chippa United. The Chairman understood his situation because Stanley explained everything. If Stanley had left after fighting with the Chairman or forcing his way out, the club would never have welcomed him back.
“Because they understood why he needed to leave, they were happy to receive him again. That’s why he’s back, and there’s no better place for him to restart than Chippa United.
“Another reason why he returned to Chippa United is because they already know him. If he had joined a new club after being out for several months, they would only know him as a goalkeeper, not as a person. They wouldn’t understand everything he had been through.
“At Chippa, everyone knows him. They understand him. Instead of starting from the bottom in a new environment, he is returning to a place where people know who he is. That gives him the best chance to get back to the level he was at before,” he said.
Nwabali, who rose to national prominence with his impressive performances for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, will now begin a fresh chapter with Chippa United as he resumes competitive football.
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