Former Harambee Stars goalkeeper Mathews Ottamax has said the Kenyan Premier League can learn lessons from the South African Premier Soccer League.

Top of what the Kenyan competition can learn is how to produce and attract quality goalkeepers.

“Statistically, I’d argue that the South African PSL is considered one of the best leagues in Africa in terms of management, competitiveness, and player remuneration, thus attracting some of the top players in Africa and beyond.

“The league itself has 52 registered goalkeepers, which includes 17 foreigners. Among them, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, and Zimbabwe boast of two keepers each, while Uganda tops the list with three, as the Czech Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, and Rwanda complete the list, each with one goalkeeper,” Ottamax said in a post on his Facebook page.

Former Tusker goalkeeper Brian Bwire and former Zesco United goalkeeper Ian Otieno are Kenya’s goalkeepers playing in South Africa. To Ottomax, the PSL is a good place for these goalkeepers to grow.

“Our own Brian Bwire, who turns out for Polokwane City, is the youngest foreign goalkeeper at 24 years old who has played 12 times, keeping 2 clean slates while fighting for a starting position with another foreigner, Equatorial Guinea’s 33-year-old national team first-choice keeper Manuel Sapunga, who has played 14 times with six cleansheets.

“Also noticeably, in the age set-up, of the few under 25-year-old keepers, precisely 8 in number, it’s only Kenya’s Brian Bwire who has managed to play. The rest have clocked zero minutes, including 25-year-old Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars’ first choice, Fiacre Ntwari, who turned out for Kaizer Chiefs and only appeared 11 times on the bench,” he added.

The former Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards goalkeeper said the ages of many of the keepers in the PSL is something that is worth a study.

“At 35 apiece, Darren Keet of Cape Town City and Zimbabwe’s Elvis Chipezeze of Magesi boast the highest number of cleansheets at 10 and 13, respectively, and most games played. Keet is the only keeper who has played in all 30 matches his club has been involved in, while Chipezeze has played 28 in a 16-team league.

“The shockingly advanced goalkeepers’ ages in the PSL should be a case study for our local clubs, most of which had us retire early from the game.

“At 28, I was too old for the Kenyan Premier League… I was sent home!” he concluded.