I think it will benefit us to revisit the thinking and the bragging that the DStv Premiership is among the top 10 leagues in the world. It was around the 2015/16 season when the league bosses made that bold statement.
Perhaps we need to determine how they arrived at that conclusion and maybe ascertain as to what it is that convinced the PSL to think that they had reached such lofty standards.
Truth be told, they were flush with cash. Sponsors and blue-chip companies were tripping over themselves to grab a piece of the pie. They could afford to brag a little bit.
Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns were reaching the CAF inter-club finals, their financial books were sweeter than the goal of the season.
Even when they made that bold declaration, there was a bit of scepticism and gasps from the audience and those who were part of the proceedings. But sooner rather than later, the supporters bought into those sentiments. The media as well, sadly so, and joined in and started crediting that kind of mumbo-jumbo that the PSL is among the top 10 leagues in the world.
Today, the 2022 Fifa World Cup will kick off when hosts Qatar cross swords with Ecuador in the capital in Doha.
A sad reality and an embarrassing little statistic is that there is no single PSL player who will be playing in this biggest sporting tournament. From the 32 teams that have qualified, no player registered in the DStv Premiership will be even sitting on the bench.
The Mzansi football gods must be turning in their graves.
This is a huge reality check for SA football.
We can understand the high standards that are demanded by European and South American clubs, but the fact that not even one player managed to sneak into one of the five African representatives is just an indictment of our football. All the PSL clubs have a wholesome number of foreign players from the continent but none was good enough to go and fly the PSL flag in the Middle East.
The local supporters almost chopped off Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’ head when he said that SA players are just not good enough, they are not known and that European clubs are not interested in buying them. The fans were angry and said the coach was disrespectful and undermining his employers and the country.
When Pitso Mosimane mentioned we are decades behind Morocco in terms of football, he was scolded and insulted.
The sooner we realise and accept the sad state of affairs, the sooner we can start being proactive and throw forward ideas of a turnaround strategy.
At the moment, if we were moving any slower, we would be moving backwards…
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