Jali stands up the Iron Duke
Free agent midfielder more likely to sign for Pitso’s Sundowns
● Andile Jali, who’s in the crosshairs of Orlando Pirates, did not honour ameeting with club chairman Irvin Khoza.
An insider informed the Sunday Times that the meeting between Jali and Khoza was scheduled for last week but never happened because Jali didn’t arrive.
The 28-year-old Bafana Bafana free-agent midfielder is in high demand, with his services sought by the big three of Mamelodi Sundowns, Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
“Jali was supposed to have a meeting with the chairman last week. But he did not pitch up for that meeting,” said the source.
“Every day it is increasingly looking like he is going to Sundowns.”
Jali spent five years at Pirates who snatched him from University of Pretoria, before joining the Belgian club KV Oostende where he spent four-and-a-half years.
He played a pivotal role when Pirates won a historic back-to-back treble of MTN8, Premier Soccer League (PSL) and Nedbank Cup trophies and MTN8, PSL and Telkom Knockout titles the following season.
Jali left Oostende in April citing family commitments as one of the main reasons behind his decision to come back home.
One of Jali’s former teammates at Oostende, Zimbabwean striker Knowledge Musona, joined Belgian giants Anderlecht on a four-year deal this week after a fantastic season in which he scored 10 goals.
As to when Jali is signing on the dotted line at Chloorkop is not clear, with his agent Mike Makaab telling the Sunday Times yesterday, that: “Nothing is certain at the moment.”
Makaab, though, was quoted in newspapers this week confirming that Jali has one of the biggest decisions to make and will inadvertently have to disappoint some of his fans and teams that are after him.
For Sundowns, getting Jali makes a lot of sense given their continued participation in the gruelling Caf Champions League.
The other big factor is the age of Sundowns’ inspirational captain Hlompho Kekana, who turned 33 on Wednesday.
Kekana is a midfield enforcer and has been instrumental in coach Pitso Mosimane’s team winning three league titles and the Champions League in 2016 in the past five years .
Given the number of matches and his age, Mosimane has been wise in using Kekana this season, often resting him in less taxing matches.
Mosimane has never hidden his desire to have Jali in his team, often describing him as a player who can fit in well with his team given his shrewdness and versatility in midfield.
“Jali has the right football attitude. He is a tiger‚ especially when he feels disrespected‚” Mosimane said recently of the dynamic central midfielder.
“I took Andile to the Military Stadium in Egypt [with Bafana Bafana]. The boy was eating all of them. So when I know all of that about Andile‚ we can talk. He has got to know there’s Kekana and (Tiyani) Mabunda. I’m due to have a meeting with him soon.”
Sundowns also bade farewell to one of their favourite stars, Khama Billiat, in Conakry, Guinea, this week.
The Zimbabwean forward signed off in style, scoring one of the goals and winning a penalty in the other when Sundowns drew 2-2 with Guinean club Horoya FC, in the second match of the group phase in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Though Billiat and his handlers are yet to come out clearly about where he is going, our sources insisted this week he was still headed to Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag FK, who are said to have secured a pre-contract with him in January.
I took Andile to ... Egypt [with Bafana Bafana]. The boy was eating all of them
Pitso Mosimane
Former Bafana Bafana coach