Is Andile Jali contemplating retirement?
Andile Jali’s agent has given an update on the player’s future, hinting that it’s possible the 34-year-old may have played his last game.
Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Andile Jali could be thinking of retiring from professional football.
Jali was recently released by Moroka Swallows, ahead of the second half of the DStv Premiership season.
Jali was thought to have been part of the Swallows contingent that went on strike last year. This strike saw the Swallows players withdraw from their last two games of 2023, which proved costly to the club. The PSL ended up fining the Dube Birds a cool R1 million for failing to honour those fixtures. They did, however, receive the leniency of having R600 000 of it suspended. With the club already cash-strapped, that was a sanction they could ill afford. They then also decided to take action on the players who had decided against playing, effectively firing them. Furthermore, the league granted three points to both of their opponents in Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows.
JALI RELEASED BY SWALLOWS
The players had decided to boycott those two games, as they had not been paid their salaries. After a process of internal disciplinary hearings, a list of 22 players who had been dismissed by Swallows started making the rounds. The list featured some noticeable names such as Daniel Akpeyi, Bongani Sam, Ntsako Makhubela and Dumisani Zuma. Certain key players seemed to be spared from the list, before it was determined that another round of hearings was planned. Jali’s agent Mike Makaab came out to say that his client was injured and not striking.
Jali has since failed to find a club and Makaab says he will sit down with him and decide the next step.
COULD HE RETIRE?
“We are meeting with AJ (Jali) in the next few weeks to discuss if he still wants to play. If he says yes, obviously he will have to prepare himself. He is a professional and be ready for the upcoming season.” Said Makaab to iDiski Times.
It remains to be seen if Jali is able to get another club that can afford to pay him big wages as he gets older.
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