Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper William Shongwe believes Fiacre Ntwari has the quality to reclaim his place at Naturena, despite the Rwandan international's struggles for game time since joining from TS Galaxy last season.
Ntwari, who played Betway Premiership matches before being moved to the bench last season, continues to excel for Rwanda's national team. He has been watching at his club from the sidelines as Brandon Petersen maintains Chiefs' perfect defensive record this season.
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Speaking exclusively to Soccer Laduma after witnessing Ntwari's impressive performance against Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday—where he saved seven out of eight shots on target—Shongwe offered insight into the goalkeeper's predicament. Rwanda eventually lost 1-0 to the Super Eagles.
Pressure Affected Early Impact
The former Chiefs number one believes Ntwari's initial struggles stemmed from the intense pressure surrounding the club during his arrival.
"The problem you see at Chiefs is that if you don't convince in the beginning, then it's difficult to come back. Now you are playing under pressure, and when you are playing under pressure, you make mistakes. He arrived at a time when there was a lot of pressure," Shongwe told the Siya crew.
With Petersen currently in excellent form, having kept clean sheets in all five league matches this season, Shongwe acknowledged the difficulty of unseating a number one in brilliant form.
"So, now Brandon Petersen is playing very well, and you can't say because Ntwari is playing well for the national team, then he should play at Chiefs," he added.
Initially suggesting a loan move might benefit the Rwandan keeper, Shongwe emphasized the importance of maintaining match fitness rather than prolonged bench time.
"So, for now I think a loan would be... You can't frustrate him. You can't keep him on the bench for a long time because we don't know for how long will Petersen be in good form. You will be making a big mistake. Petersen is enjoying good form, let him maintain it. But clubs like Chiefs are very difficult to play for because if the number one is doing well then you have to be on the bench."
However, the former goalkeeper quickly considered, drawing from his own experiences during the Gary Bailey era at Amakhosi.
Drawing from Personal Experience
Shongwe shared his own struggles for game time, recounting how patience and seizing opportunities proved crucial in his Chiefs career.
"I know during Gary Bailey's time, I had to spend a lot of time on the bench. With me, I had an injury. I was like six months off after a finger operation. So the second half of the season, I came back. But still I stayed on the bench. But he made a mistake the following season in 1989, he got married and went for honeymoon, and delayed coming back and I grabbed that chance, and he never took over again. He stayed on the bench. So, that's the problem. When you get the chance use it. When on the bench one must just sit and bide your time and wait for the chance," Shongwe told Soccer Laduma.
Fighting Spirit Required
Shongwe ultimately advocated for Ntwari to remain and fight for his position, warning against showing weakness.
"Rushing to go also is not a good idea. It shows that you are not willing to fight for the competition. It's just sad to see him perform like that for Rwanda and it feels like he is being wasted on the bench at Chiefs. But what must happen to Petersen then? Ntwari should stay. As much as I said he should go on loan, but, no, let him stay on the bench and bide his time. He must fight for his position. That's why big teams like Chiefs, they don't just have one good number one. You have two or three number ones. You see Bruce Bvuma is suffering the same fate, so that's how tough it is in this team. You wanna play for a big team, you gotta be the best. Not just the best. Best of the best," Shongwe concluded.
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The situation highlights the competitive nature at Chiefs, where even established international goalkeepers face challenges for regular game time.
With Petersen's perfect record intact and Chiefs remaining the only team yet to concede in the league, Ntwari's path back to the first team remains challenging but not impossible.
