The 2023/24 DStv Premiership came to an end with some really entertaining football last Saturday. Cape Town Spurs bowed out fighting, as they denied Kaizer Chiefs an opportunity to play in the Top Eight with a 2-0 loss at Cape Town Stadium. Stellenbosch FC lost 2-1 to Richards Bay FC who were trying to move away from the promotional playoffs but, despite their win, the other results went against them as Royal AM beat Moroka Swallows. Spurs will play in the second-tier next season, while Magesi FC will be in the elite league. Richards Bay, Baroka FC and University of Pretoria will battle it out for the remaining DStv Premiership spot in the playoffs.
On Magesi FC promotion
It is a great honour and pleasure for me to congratulate Magesi FC on their automatic promotion to the DStv Premiership, after winning the Motsepe Foundation Championship. I need to give credit to coach Clinton Larsen and his technical team for a job well done. This man joined the team at the beginning of last year and not many would have predicted that almost 16 months later, he would have lead them to the much-needed promotion. I need to also give credit to the team's management under the leadership of Chairman Solly Makhubela for the way they supported their technical team as they now reap the rewards of their investment.
It wasn't easy at all but when you show full support and belief in your coach, this is exactly what you get in return. Truth be told, I didn't see them making it this far in such a short space of time and I will be the first to admit and accept a humble pie, as I congratulate them on their wonderful achievement. I would like to believe plans are already in motion for the next season and the good thing is that they have enough time to tighten all the loose ends before the season starts. Unlike the team that is going to win the playoffs, they will have a proper off-season and preseason which goes a long way in determining the season ahead. They really have to pull out all the stops to ensure that they are fully prepared for what will be a challenging season. That's how they will ensure that they are not out there just to add numbers but to make an impact and retain their status at the end of the campaign. Once again, congratulations guys.
On Baroka and Tuks in the playoffs
Let me also congratulate Baroka FC and University of Pretoria on reaching the promotional playoffs, where they will be squaring off against Richards Bay FC for the spot in the DStv Premiership. These teams have been doing tremendously well and they both deserve to be where they are. I wish all three teams everything of the best and I know it is going to be a marathon as they all need that solitary spot in the big league. It is going to be a heavy and tiring exercise but I'm sure all the teams will be ready to hit the ground running.
On Mokwena and Ramovic
I know some people might misunderstand the point I am going to make about the scenes that we saw in the TS Galaxy v Mamelodi Sundowns clash at Mbombela Stadium recently. It was obviously a David v Goliath affair, and the match lived up to expectation. It was a tense game on and off the field. You could tell that neither team wanted to be on the losing side. Both benches were so tense you'd swear it was a Champions League final or something. The goal celebrations told the story of just how badly the two teams wanted to win this clash. Sundowns were already champions and Galaxy had almost secured their Top Eight spot. The differences between the two coaches, Rhulani Mokwena and Sead Ramovic have always been there for everyone to see, for some time now. There is suddenly so much hype and attention given to these two coaches' rivalry that there is always unnecessary fighting between the two camps. It is really not good to witness two grown up leaders having a go at each other on the touchline. It is one thing to be competitive and not want to lose to one another but losing the respect for the game and causing unnecessary and ugly scenes on the touchline or after the final whistle is just plain wrong.
We now see other technical team members getting drawn into it and it was just a mess! This is not what South African football wants to see or deserve! We are better off without these kinds of things and you wonder what sort of an impact is this going to have on the two sets of players and even people who are watching from home? We also have development players who happen to witness coaches they look up to behaving in such a manner and you wonder what goes through their heads. Clearly, we still have a long way to go, and I would like to see the powers that be taking action to send out a strong message to everyone out there. We can't have such prominent figures behaving like that. We are not going to condone that. There is so much that was put into ensuring those two clubs are where they are, just as much as a lot has been done to get our professional football where it is today. The last thing we need is to witness such ugly scenes dominating headlines because that's not a true reflection of our football. It is time now for people to own up. Irrespective of the differences between the two gentlemen, they need to get their act together and deal with their differences somewhere else, not in front of the cameras and putting our football into disrepute. That was ugly! It takes away the dignity and respect that we have for our football. For those post-match interviews and utterances, come on guys, this is not high school football!
Sometimes one needs to be a father-figure not only to his own players but the opposition as well. We can't have two experienced people, in leadership positions, behaving like school kids, no, no, no! I respect both coaches and like the job they've been doing for their respective clubs but what they showed us that night was uncalled for. That was embarrassing for everyone involved. I know everyone has had their say but I feel our football can do without such unfortunate incidents and behaviour. We are on a mission to make our national team better and the whole world is watching us. What are they going to say about us when we behave like that? You want to be counted among the best in the continent and then you behave like that? Surely, we can do better, guys!
On end of the season
Now, with Sundowns having won the league title for the seventh consecutive time, we have to congratulate the Chloorkop-based side. They have been really impressive and deserve everything they've achieved so far. We now know that Sundowns and Orlando Pirates will be playing in the CAF Champions League while Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United will be taking part in the CAF Confederation Cup. I would like to wish all the teams everything of the best in their endeavours. Let me also congratulate and wish well those who have managed to secure their spots in the Top Eight to ensure that they participate in the season-opening tournament. It has been a rollercoaster season for a lot of teams but it was unfortunate for Cape Town Spurs to get the chop.
On the other side of the log table, Sundowns ran away with it but if Arsenal and Liverpool pushed Manchester City all the way to the last game of the season, why can't we have the same in our league? We can't have 15 teams fighting for the second spot again next season, things have to change! I need to congratulate Pirates on securing the second spot and getting back into the Champions League. Together with Stellies, they really kept the second spot race entertaining and played some really good football towards the end of the season, which was good to see. I reserve my comments on the teams that were fighting for the Top Eight qualification. It is really sad to see big teams fighting for the second spot or Top Eight when they should be challenging for honours. We really need to own up and tell it like it is. Having to go to the last game of the season to find out who will be in the playoffs, who will be in the Top Eight, who will finish second but seven games ago we already knew who was winning the league. What does that say about our football?
Sundowns are clearly cruising and it doesn't look like anyone will be catching up with them anytime soon. Yes, there are teams that need to be commended for their efforts because they were chasing a really intelligent horse that has been tactical and strategic about this race. It is time for others to up their game and improve so that they can emulate and challenge that intelligent horse. It is time for teams to come up with solutions in order for them to challenge and match what Sundowns has been doing.
These guys finished the season with only one loss, right at the end of the season, against Cape Town City and that's quite remarkable! What coach Rhulani achieved is the same as what Xabi Alonso did at Bayern Leverkusen as they both made history and broke their respective teams' records. Here's to hoping next season will be a much better and more competitive campaign that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.
