Kaizer Chiefs defender's move to European league assessed by former Qarabag striker - 'I won't say he made a wrong choice'

Dino Ndlovu knows more than most about the footballing landscape in Azerbaijan, having paved the way for South Africans in the region during his successful stint with Qarabag.

Despite the league often flying under the radar for South African fans, Ndlovu is adamant that McCarthy has made a smart career move.

"Firstly, he's gone to the right league despite what people think.

"Those leagues are improving. In Azerbaijan, they bring in players from Brazil and Portugal," Ndlovu told Soccer Laduma.

The striker, who was the first South African to play in Azerbaijan back in 2016, believes the technical level is higher than many give it credit for.

While McCarthy has linked up with Sabah FK, Ndlovu revealed that the country's most dominant force, Qarabag, also had their sights set on the former Amakhosi man.

Qarabag have a storied history of competing in the UEFA Champions League group stages, making them a prestigious destination for any African player.

"Look, to be honest, with Aden, I won't say he made a wrong choice or he made a mistake in terms of a club.

"But I always believe that a big club will always be a big club," Ndlovu explained.

"Big clubs are always rated about their achievements and if you look at it, we know that Qarabag wanted to sign him.

"I don't know if you're aware of that. Qarabag wanted to sign him and he went with Sabah."

Sabah FK currently hold the crown as domestic champions, but they face a monumental task in maintaining that position against a Qarabag side that has won 11 of the last 13 league titles.

Ndlovu feels that while Qarabag might have been the more obvious choice, McCarthy’s decision to join Sabah shows a specific vision for his future.

"Yeah, Qarabag wanted to sign Aden and he went with Sabah.

"Which is his vision, I don't have any problem with it.

"I wish him all the best. I wish for him to succeed," Ndlovu added.

To provide context for South African supporters, Ndlovu likened the dominance of Qarabag to that of Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League.

Breaking that dominance is the challenge McCarthy now faces as he settles into his new surroundings following his exit from Naturena.

Ndlovu concluded his assessment by noting, "It's not easy to compete against Qarabag, but it's a good challenge for Aden.

"Qarabag is like Mamelodi Sundowns.

"They dominate.

"But like I said, it's a good challenge for Aden."