It may sound biased considering the source, but according to Amajita (SA-Under 20) keeper Fletcher Lowe’s scout Prince Sobayeni, the young shot-stopper may be the heir apparent to Bafana Bafana’s Ronwen Williams.
Though Williams is clearly still one of the best keepers on the planet as his nomination in the Yashin Trophy last year indicated, it’s always prudent to look beyond the current first-choice players, especially with the FIFA World Cup coming up next year.
Bafana have not qualified for the World Cup since 2002, but they are well on track to take their place at the 2026 edition under coach Hugo Broos.
At 33, Williams still has many years left as a keeper, but that shouldn’t mean Bafana should not go in search of adequate backup in the position.
Why Louw is Viewed as the Natural Successor to Williams for Bafana
Sobayeni told TimesLIVE: “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.
“He’s young. Some of us are arguing now; why not put him as the 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, which means he’s on the coach’s radar.”
Williams spent 12 years with SuperSport United before a move to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2022, where he has remained since.
In December, Williams won Goalkeeper of the Year and Interclub Player of the Year at the CAF Awards.
In November, Williams was one of the nominees for the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper in the world at the Ballon d’Or awards in Paris.
Williams was the first South African footballer to be nominated at the Ballon d’Or awards.
Williams was the star for Bafana at the Africa Cup of Nations last year, with his best performance coming in the quarter-final against Cape Verde. As the game moved to a penalty shootout, the Bafana skipper saved four penalties to lead his side to the semi-finals and ultimately the bronze medal.
@Michael_Sherman
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