Chippa United midfielder Andile Jali has offered an encouraging message to teammate and former Orlando Pirates player Azola Matrose to not view his return to Gqeberha as a set-back.
The 21-year-old initially left the Chillie Boys for the Buccaneers during the 2022/23 season however struggled to get game time in Gauteng, which saw him being shipped back to the Eastern Cape based-side on loan. The former South African junior international has since made a permanent move back to Chippa after signing a two-year deal with an option of a two-year renewal.
Speaking to iDiski Times senior writer Velile Mnyandu in edition 169 of the newspaper, Jali said he understands Matrose has tasted football at a higher level and should take the experience as a learning curve and use it to up his game.
“You know, you make a choice, you make decisions, and then know where you want to be,” Jali told iDiski Times.
“All these three things are very important, no matter what people can say or expect from you, but if you’ve decided what you want, it will happen. The coach also told him that he mustn’t look at this as a backward step, he’s still young, he must look at this as a learning curve.
“He’s tasted football life in a top club, and how nice it is and he mustn’t lose it, even now that he’s here, he must continue with the standards he was keeping there so that this can push his game to the next level.
“The coach told him that this would help him, that he must continue to picture himself still at Pirates, even though he’s back at Chippa now.”
