Niang Speaks On His Unsuccessful Trial At Chiefs
Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Mame Niang has opened up about how his move to Kaizer Chiefs failed.
Niang left Moroka Swallows to join the Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in 2007.
The Senegalese former talisman spent four seasons in Europe in different teams then came to South Africa in 2011 when his contract with Kongsvinger expired.
Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung is the one who called Niang to come back to South Africa. He trained with Amakhosi for some time but Vladimir Vermezovic was not interested in signing the former Wolfsburg striker.
“Bobby Motaung is the one who brought me back to South Africa as he wanted me to join Kaizer Chiefs,” Niang told Sportswire.
“I came back to South Africa and they had this coach called Vladimir Vermezovic. When I came he didn’t know me, so he put me on the side and said ‘No, I’m focusing on winning the league and I can’t sign any player now.’
“So, he ignored me like that even though I was doing well at training. Bobby said I must be patient they would sign me but I told myself that I couldn’t sit here and wait for something that would not happen.
“Then after that coach Gavin Hunt called me to join SuperSport United. I trained for four days then they signed me after that. It was a good spell at Chiefs but I ended up joining SuperSport.”
At SuperSport, Niang played only 12 games and scored only two goals.
Niang believes that Williams is the PSL all-time best goalkeeper for him.
“I played with Williams for two seasons at SuperSport, and I think he’s got the ability most goalkeepers don’t have,” Niang declared.
“Itumeleng Khune was good but Ronwen is on a different level. Williams is brave, he’s more calm as a goalkeeper, and as a goalkeeper, you need to be more calm. “He is very good on shot stopping and one-on-one. He is a complete goalkeeper, so I think he is a good goalkeeper for me.”
The Bafana Bafana goalkeeper has won many individual awards since he joined Sundowns. He also won the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award at the delayed Africa Cup Of Nations in Ivory Coast in January 2024.
