Philadelphia Union coach Bradley Carnell believes Njabulo Blom can still be successful in the MLS despite his less than impressive second year at St Louis City.
Blom is back in the PSL with his former team Kaizer Chiefs where he is on a season-long loan from St Louis and Amakhosi have the option to make the deal permanent.
However, South African coach Carnell, who signed the midfielder for St Louis in January 2023, says Blom is still among the best in his position and can be a major success in the MLS if he gets the right players around him.
What does Carnell make of the midfielder?
“I think Jabs had an excellent 2023 campaign. In 2024, he did have some injury concerns and just never got into a good rhythm again,” Carnell told iDiski Times.
“On any day he can be one of the best defensive midfielders in the league with a certain style of play.”
Blom made 28 appearances for St Louis in his first season in 2023, when he scored one goal and provided an assist, but managed 17 games and one goal in 2024 when he was utilised from the bench most of the time.
Nabi has used Blom in different roles
However, things went south when Carnell was sacked last July as the player saw his minutes significantly reduced before a fallout followed and he was soon loaned out to Chiefs before the start of the 2024-25 PSL season.
Blom has made 15 appearances and scored one goal for Chiefs where coach Nasreddine Nabi has used him both in central midfield and at left-back whenever there are injuries in the position.
It is still not known if Chiefs will take up the option of signing their academy graduate permanently but Carnell’s comments suggest he could be open to reuniting with him in Philadelphia if an opportunity presents itself.
