Matthews On Williams Exit Rumours

SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has confirmed that captain Ronwen Williams has expressed his desire for a new challenge and provided an update on the situation.

Williams, 30, recently stated that he would be open to moving to champions Mamelodi Sundowns, while Orlando Pirates have also been strongly linked with his services over the past two seasons.

The Bafana Bafana captain has been a regular fixture in the Matsatsansa set-up, having first broken through the ranks from the academy back in 2011 as a teenager and after over a decade of experience in the South African top-flight, he is ready for the next chapter of his career.

While Matthews is aware of Williams’ intentions moving into the preparations for the 2022/23 season, he admits it’s a conversation that will only take place after eh returns from Morocco, where he is on international duty for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“I haven’t had my sit down with Ronwen yet, he is in camp at the moment, I did give him a commitment that we will sit down and have a chat, he has told us that he has one eye of maybe looking at a change of environment,” Matthews confirmed to Mmasekepe Matsebane on Power FM.

“One couldn’t blame him, he’s been at the club since he was 12 and achieved everything he could possibly achieve, he’s won trophies, he’s the captain of Bafana Bafana with us and if his football chapter needs to be broadened or taken elsewhere it’s something he has discussed with us. It’s something we’d be supportive of him if the right move comes along.

“But there’s nothing on the table right now and we haven’t had the discussion with him. I need to catch up with him, the last week’s discussions were about losing Kaitano [Tembo] as a coach, trying desperately to maintain our top-eight spot which went to the last game.

“So that type of discussions were all put on hold as agreed with Ronwen until the end of the season. Whatever needs to happen will unfold in the next few weeks.”

Williams has been capped 26 times for the senior South Africa national team since making his debut under Gordon Igesund in March 2014.

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