Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has explained why he signed a new contract with the club despite his burning desire to play abroad.
Williams, 32, is in career-best form at the moment in his second season at Sundowns since his arrival from SuperSport United.
The Bafana Bafana captain won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Best Goalkeeper Award with five clean sheets in seven games and leading the country to bronze in Ivory Coast.
For Masandawana has kept a staggering 29 clean sheets in 42 games across all competitions at club level, winning the DStv Premiership, African Football League, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League and Nedbank Cup final.
“I think if that was to materialise it should have happened after AFCON, I think that was the perfect moment but nothing concrete came my way, or anything my [agent] or club brought up, so why not stay at Mamelodi Sundowns,” Williams said.
“We’re looking for great things, being part of the FIFA Club World Cup, they giving me the platform, I’m happy at the club, I signed a new deal – long may this continue, the achievements, the success and even the heartbreak.
“That builds us and fuels us to go even harder the next season, so I’m looking forward to it, I’m happy at Sundowns and I’m looking forward to the Club World Cup – but if something happens and the club is happy, so be it.”
On the new four-year contract he signed this month with Sundowns, he reflected on his two seasons with the club, where individual accolades and silverware have now kept flowing for South Africa international keeper.
“It’s been amazing, I’ve enjoyed every moment, I don’t think I’ve had any higher moments than this, and it’s happened back-to-back-to-back, and this all the sacrifices I have made, it’s finally paying off,” Williams said.
“Long may this continue [for Sundowns and Bafana Bafana], it’s just for me to remain the person I am, being humble, working hard and believing in God – this Cosafa honour will just give me extra energy to go even further, to take Bafana to the next level in the qualifiers in the World Cup, to be at next AFCON again, to be in the Champions League final, we’re going to get there.
“All these setbacks we have, it’s fueling me for even greater things to come, so hopefully this trophy and more trophies to come in the next few weeks and the qualifiers and setbacks of the semi-finals of the Champions League, it still feels we were a few moments away from a final… All this I’m using to energise myself, to keep going, to push for even greater heights.”
Williams is among the front-runners for the 2023/24 Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer of the Season Award.
