A big part of how Andile Jali chose Chippa United as his next club could have been revealed.
Jali has been without a club since parting ways with Moroka Swallows in January this year and there were reports that he was contemplating retiring.
However, as reported by KickOff, Chippa have won the race to sign the former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns man, although the Chilli Boys are yet to officially announce his capture.
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It appears that the 34-year-old could have been offered a coaching role post his playing days at the Chilli Boys after his agent Mike Makaab, CEO of ProSport International, revealed that the deal that he has signed with his new club goes beyond his playing days.
"We're very close to finalizing, we're hoping to sign on a deal that has been long discussed," Makaab said on Gagasi FM.
"It's an interesting project that goes beyond [playing] football, but it's a very interesting project. We believe it's going to be a suitable place for AJ to close off his career for many reasons.
"And one thing I can tell you is that he's really determined to make this a very special move, for himself and the club."
Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena indicated during Jali's stay at The Brazilians that the hard-tackling midfielder would make a good coach, as he used him as one of his assistants.
"He is a big player for us. He has incredible leadership qualities, he is very important to have around because of his mentality and insights," Mokwena said at a press conference.
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"To tell you the truth, I even use him as a third or fourth assistant coach. He sits on the bench and gives me a lot of information on what he sees. He has incredible experience, which is apart from his human qualities ,which is something that we appreciate and love within the club and that's from a football perspective."