Many coaches will tell you that when you open the results page in a newspaper, there's no record of how you won the game – only the score line. I can tell you now that if you are looking for answers as to why crowd attendance numbers are falling at stadiums around the world, look no further than that mentality.
You may think I'm talking about the PSL here in South Africa, and certainly to a large extent the fear of many PSL coaches results in very negative football at times. But, based on what I have seen from PSL teams this season so far, especially the so-called 'big ones', it seems the coaches in charge of those teams are finally realising that they have a duty to the fans of those clubs to do more than just win. That people pay to be entertained, and yes, the win is expected, but the 'way' of the win is just as important.
What has prompted me to go down this route for this column is none other than what many South African football fans consider the best league in the world - the EPL. On Monday night I sat down at home excited about the prospect of seeing two of the EPL's biggest teams go head-to-head. Manchester United at the Theatre of Dreams against Mourinho's 'Dream Team' of Chelsea. Man United, famous for their attacking brand of football, and Chelsea so full of quality that even the football purists who prefer technique and artistry over steel and passion are forced to sit and watch because the potential fare on offer is out of this world.
And that is all this fixture remained - potentially a world-class spectacle if both coaches were willing to risk it all for the win, risk it all for the fans. Moyes demonstrated why a mid-table coach from Everton will have to up his game big time to get the same kind of passion out of the superstars at Manchester United that Alex Ferguson demanded. And Mourinho showed why he had to leave La Liga. They wouldn't tolerate his negative tactics in the big games in La Liga, but in the EPL he can get away with not playing a single recognised striker against top class opposition and get to call it a legitimate tactic. Yes, Wayne Rooney showed industry and some top class touches, Hazard produced moments of brilliance - but on the whole, the amount of possession just kicked away by both teams and the inability to take the opposition by the scruff of the neck and pin them in their own half with sustained quality was lacking. A 0-0 draw for two EPL giants? For me, out of 10, I'd give it a five for entertainment value, and that's not good enough when you consider what a ticket costs the fans.
And speaking of 10s brings us to the launch of Soccer-Laduma's exciting new clothing range – SL10! Our readers have been asking for Soccer-Laduma merchandise for some time now and we've looked at doing it before, but we wanted to make sure that when we did it, it would be a top class, must-have offering from us to you.
SL10 is our very own brand and we're very proud to be launching our first limited edition T-shirts which will go on sale next week.
These are collector's items and every purchase comes with its own unique collection number and certificate to authenticate that it's an original. The quality and pricing are fantastic! I tried these T-shirts on in the production phase and they are going to rock your world!
The current launch offering sees four unique T-shirt designs, with my favourite being the Doctor Khumalo image printed on a grey background - very classy. SL10 is for those who share our passion for the beautiful game. Doctor Khumalo is the first soccer icon to appear on the SL10 range and each collection will feature an icon - past or present.
When it comes to Soccer-Laduma, we listen to what you want and we're guided by you. It's no different when it comes to the SL10 range. Send us your comments and ideas for SL10 so we can produce what you want. As your ideas come in, we'll continue growing the SL10 range. You're our playmakers, so who better to create the magic?
Check out the SL10 range of T-shirts featured in your edition today, with SA icon Thabo Mngomeni modelling for you. Get your orders in fast, as stock is limited! And remember, once you've bought your limited edition T-shirt, send us a pic of you wearing it, so we can stick it up on all our digital platforms.
We're excited about this new venture, and we hope it excites you too!
Shapa, Clint
Follow Clint on Twitter: @SoccaClint
