Former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi has heaped praise on new signing Fiacre Ntwari for his impressive start at the club.
Ntwari has been in fine form since joining the Amakhosi helping the club win two games in the 2024/25 Betway Premiership. He was between the posts as the team recorded a 2-1 win over Marumo Gallants before beating Amazulu 3-1 on Wednesday, September 25 to celebrate his birthday in style.
Baloyi, made 338 appearances for the Kaizer Chiefs from 1993-2004, says the Rwandan goalkeeper is the perfect goalkeeper the club needed.
"Now, I think it looks like it’s a rather good signing. I think Ntwari brings a lot of stability and confidence to the defence,” he told Sunday World.
"I think the biggest thing, when you are building a team, is you build it around your spine. You have a reliable goalkeeper, a reliable center-back, midfielders and a reliable striker. Then all the others just fall into place. And I think it looks like that’s what the coach is trying to do."
ALSO READ: Ntwari's heroics propel TS Galaxy to Telkom second round
He also stressed that Ntwari's level is good enough to push other goalkeepers at the club to improve their performances.
"I think Brandon Petersen, Bruce Bvuma, and Bontle Molefe [have a task]. They are all going to have to fight for their place to unseat Ntwari.
"But my concern with him was always that playing for TS Galaxy is a small club. And then moving to a big club, is he going to adjust? But he looks like someone who has a big temperament and character to deal with playing for a big club and fighting for his place.
"So, fingers crossed, but so far it looks like it will be a good signing. Hopefully, it will then push Bontle, Bvuma, and Petersen to up their game. This will also not only help to lift the competition amongst themselves, but the standard of goalkeeping at the club,” he added.
Ntwari signed for Kaizer Chiefs in July 2024 for a fee in excess of $400,000. The club rejected the chance to sign Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali who was being offered to them by Chippa United at a much cheaper price.