'We tried to sign him eight years ago before he went to Kaizer Chiefs,' says Johnson

18 January 2017 - 15:51 By Nick Said
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Coach Cavin Johnson is delighted with Platinum Stars’ capture of experienced winger Abia Nale‚ some eight years after the club first tried to sign him.

Nale is one of three new players unveiled by Dikwena as they seek to ease their relegation worries in the second half of the season‚ with Namibia international centre-back Willem Mwedihanga and Malawi international Gerald Phiri Jnr also new in the camp.

The latter had in fact arrived on loan from BidVest Wits at the start of the season but was only registered this month due to paperwork issues.

Nale was signed as a free agent after he had last week negotiated his release from Maritzburg United.

“What a person to bring into the team at this stage‚” Johnson told Times Media.

  • Johnson to beef up his squad ahead of the Stars' participation in the Caf Confederation CupPlatinum Stars coach Cavin Johnson is hoping to add one or two experienced players to his squad during the current transfer window with participation in the Caf Confederation Cup campaign starting next month. 

“With where we are in the league‚ with the start of our Confederation Cup campaign‚ he has the kind of quality that can really help us.

“It has been a long wait for us to get him here‚ we tried to sign him eight years ago before he went to Kaizer Chiefs [from Lamontville Golden Arrows]‚ so we have had to be patient!

“But he is obviously a very good winger who can play on either side and uses both his feet well‚ so that provides us with some nice options.”

Mwedihanga is another who was a free agent after leaving relegated University of Pretoria at the end of last season.

Johnson hopes he will add stability at centre-back after the team conceded a number of soft goals in the first half of the campaign.

“We had watched him quite a bit at AmaZulu and then AmaTuks and we feel he can add some stability.

"We conceded a lot of goals through poor technical errors and he has a lot of experience with Namibia and obviously has played in the PSL before.

“Also‚ he was involved in a relegation fight with AmaTuks last season and we hope that experience of his will help us.

"He knows the pressure and what to expect‚ so hopefully we can use that as an advantage.”

  • Platinum Stars coach Johnson relishing return to Caf footballCavan Johnson says he is looking forward to returning to continental football when Platinum Stars take part in the 2017 Caf Confederation Cup early next year. 

Johnson says the fact that the team can finally use Phiri Jnr is also a plus.

“He has been with us a while‚ but you know the situation with foreigners in this country and it is even more complex with the Malawians because they are not allowed to have dual nationality.

"So if they want to keep playing international football they cannot get SA citizenship.

“We have always known that he can bring something to the table‚ he adds some firepower from midfield and we are looking forward to seeing him in the team‚ finally.”

Johnson says he does not feel it is “realistic” that the team will make any more additions to their squad in this January transfer window.

Stars are struggling in 13th spot on the Absa Premiership log standings on 14 points from as many matches. Stars host Orlando Pirates in their first match after the break on Wednesday 8 February at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. Kickoff is at 19h30.

- TMG Digital

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