Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma says foreign goalkeepers must be allowed to play in the PSL as long they are good enough and any other goalkeeper must fight for their spot.
Bruce Bvuma has put his head on the block and weighed in on the notion of whether the PSL should forbid foreign goalkeepers from joining the league.
The first round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers exposed Bafana Bafana’s goalkeeping crisis and the overreliance on Ronwen Williams.
Williams, the best goalie in Africa, missed out on the two clashes at home to Uganda and away to South Sudan owing to an injury.
He was replaced by Veli Mothwa against Uganda, and the AmaZulu club captain proved not fit to fill in Williams’ gloves, including conceding from his own blunder in the 2-2 draw.
Enter Sipho Chaine away to South Sudan. The Orlando Pirates No.1 had a nervy debut as he conceded two goals, albeit Bafana winning 3-2.
The non-availability of a ready-made cover-up for Williams, who’s running for the coveted Ballon d’Or Yachine award, has somewhat put Bafana in a goalkeeping crisis.
As such, there’ve been calls for the PSL to go the Egyptian – and some of the north Africans – route by banning foreign goalkeepers in the league.
Those behind this suggestion believe that will aid the development of goalkeepers in the country, something that’d duly help the national team.
Ricardo Goss, who’s been one of Williams’ longest deputies and is part of the Bafana squad for the ongoing Fifa window, also backed the call for prioritising locals.
Kaizer Chiefs’ goalkeeper Bvuma, who’s notable inclusion in the national team, recently had his say on the matter as well.
“I don’t think we can go the Egyptian route or is it north African? Personally, if a goalkeeper is good enough, let him come, let him play,” Bvuma said.
“If he’s good enough to be the first choice, let him be the first choice. I will make an example like Denis Onyango (who’s Ugandan, he was not one of the best locally, but on the continent).”
“I think I saw one interview with Ricardo. Onyango has been solid for the teams that he’s played for (here in South African football).”
“Personally, I don’t have any problem with African goalkeepers coming in and playing. As long as, when they are playing, they are doing well.”
Bvuma’s stance on the matter is mature. He knows he can’t be handed everything on a silver platter, hence he must work harder to be fit enough to be selected and play for Bafana.
Standing in the way of Bvuma for being selected for Bafana is Rwandan born Fiacre Ntwari who’s the No.1 at Chiefs. But he doesn’t think the latter’s nationality is what is stopping him from getting a Bafana call-up.
“I don’t think so,” Bvuma argued. “I believe it’s entirely up to me to make the team or not. It has nothing to do with the foreign goalkeeper that’s playing in our team.
“Personally, I must work harder and when I get my chance, I’ll be back and part of the national team yet again.”
The maturity that Bvuma speaks with is not by chance. Since his promotion eight years ago, he had to work his way up the top, having largely played as a third and second fiddle to Itumeleng Khune.
It was only late last season that he donned the No.1 jersey at Chiefs – an institution that’s known to have produced some of the finest goalies in the land.
So despite newbie Ntwari taking the top position in the pecking order, Bvuma is not fazed. He knows what needs to get him going to get the recognition he deserves.
“It’s not all about Bruce or who plays, but the team,” Bvuma said. “The team has been doing well. Fiacre has been doing well.
“I don’t have this thing of holding back because I am not playing. I need to keep on working hard, knowing very well that my chance to play will come.”
Bvuma has been hard at work in the last few months, learning from new goalkeeper coach Ilyes Mzoughi who’s part of the backroom staff of new coach Nasreddine Nabi.
“He’s been great. He’s a fun guy, and very demanding. We are working very hard as keepers. I enjoy working with him,” Bvuma said of Mzoughi.
“Definitely (we’ve spoken on what I can improve on). But not only me – he’s giving all the goalkeepers a different perspective on what goalkeeping is.
“It’s not that we didn’t know, but he’s teaching us new things because he’s been around the world. He has all the experience, and we are learning from him.”
Bvuma is expected to start in goal for the first time this season on Sunday (3pm kick-off) when Chiefs face Marumo Gallants in the Cufa Cup friendly at Free State Stadium.
And given that this is a friendly during a two-week long Fifa break against a top-flight division side, Bvuma says it will help them to continue with their start of the season momentum.
“I think this game is going to help us because we are playing against a competitive opponent. So it will enhance how we’ve started in the league,” Bvuma explained.