Big crisis for Bafana Bafana coming! PSL clubs blasted for failing to nurture Ronwen Williams and Sipho Chaine's successors 'We have a South African problem'

What will Bafana's future look like when Ronwen Williams finally retires? This is a question that almost everyone who has been following the South African national team has asked themselves at one point.

Williams has been an impressive figure for Bafana, keeping at bay his contemporaries, Orlando Pirates' Sipho Chaine and Siwelele FC's Ricardo Goss.

The three goalkeepers, who were in Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals, are of the same age range: Williams, 33; Chaine, 29; and Goss, 31.

For context, Chippa United's number one is Nigeria's Stanley Nwabali. For a very long time, Uganda's Denis Onyango was Sundowns' top goalkeeper and Richards Bay have Kenya's Ian Otieno, who competes with Uganda's Jamal Salim Magoola.

Polokwane City heavily depends on another Kenyan goalkeeper, Brian Bwire, while Elvis Chipezeze of Magesi is from Zimbabwe.

Sage Stephens of Stellenbosch, Kaizer Chiefs' Brandon Petersen, and sometimes Bruce Bvuma are some of the native South African goalkeepers who regularly play for their clubs.

Apart from Chaine, Petersen, and Williams, Renaldo Leaner is another South African goalkeeper who has been quite impressive in the PSL for Sekhukhune United.

So, when the three finally retire, who will replace them on the national team? Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi has blamed Premier Soccer League teams for over-reliance on foreign goalkeepers.

“We have a South African problem at the moment. If you look at the PSL, close to 60 per cent of the clubs are playing foreign goalkeepers," Baloyi said, as per IOL.

“It’s a problem that cannot be addressed by the PSL or the clubs alone, because both are businesses at the end of the day. They are focused on results and on finding players who are ready-made.”

“As much as there is talent coming through club development systems, that talent is often developed for the benefit of the club, not necessarily for the benefit of the country."

Previously, former SuperSport United assistant coach Andre Arendse raised a similar issue when he said there is a lack of proper development of goalkeepers in the country.

"I don't know if I've got to be careful how I say this, but I say it with all good intent; the problem we face at the moment is, and please somebody correct me if I'm wrong, that nine of our PSL clubs have foreign first-choice goalkeepers, for example," Arendse said.

"And that is no disrespect to foreign goalkeepers because I think they do add value to our game, but it is a problem for us as a local South Africa because we're not placing a serious enough focus on developing young goalkeepers coming through.

"Our youngest local goalkeeper playing in the PSL at the moment – I stand corrected – is maybe Sipho Chaine, and I think he's 28-29; it's not good enough.  Where are our 20-year-olds? Where are our 21-year-olds, who are playing first-team football for their clubs? So that speaks to a proper lack of development from a goalkeeping perspective," Arendse added.

Fletcher Lowe's scout, Prince Sobayeni, believes the Amajita goalkeeper is a natural successor to Williams at Bafana Bafana.

“He seems like the natural successor to Ronwen. It’s football, and you never know how things go, but if things go smoothly, he should be,” Sobayeni said.

“He’s young. Some of us are arguing now; why not put him as the Bafana Bafana third choice? Let him get that experience because we’ve already seen the quality.

“Bafana coach Hugo Broos has said there’s a goalkeeping crisis [in emerging players] in South Africa. He mentioned Fletcher (Smyth-Lowe), which means he’s on the coach’s radar.”

When Hugo Broos names his World Cup squad, eyes will be keen to see if he will call up much younger goalkeepers.