The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is showing all the hallmarks of becoming a farmer’s league.
What an abomination.
One of the signs of a farmer’s league is when it is almost certain who becomes champions every season as has become the case at the PSL.
For the past decade, it has almost become guaranteed that Mamelodi Sundowns will become the champions of the domestic league.
Since 2013, the Chloorkop outfit has won the league seven out of the 10 times.
And with each passing year, they do it with so much ease and matches to spare.
Some argue that theirs is success that is built on an unlimited bank account from one of SA’s richest families, the Motsepes, who own Sundowns.
But this angle is simply rebuffed by the financial muscle that the biggest two on support base – Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs – have.
Despite their R1-billion split halfway for five years sponsorship from Vodacom and other financial streams Pirates and Chiefs have, they have pretty much become the weeping boys of the PSL, with nothing to show.
In the past decade of Sundowns’ glory, only Chiefs features twice, while their so-called Soweto rivals go out with a duck.
Sundowns continue to lead the pack and the quality of the league itself has suffered a knock as a result, akin to the German Bindesliga, where Bayern Munich are dominant.
Even pay channel SuperSport let go of the broadcast rights of the Bundesliga because of the farmer’s league vibe.
In a farmer’s league, competition is non-existent, which goes against the very thing that plays sports what it is.
Furthermore, another prominent feature of a farmer’s league is when the relegation candidates are the same every season.
Chippa United, placed 15th on the standings with the three matches to go, are the best representatives of this phenomenon.
With their trigger-happy owner Siviwe Mpengesi, who fires coaches more than he changes socks, Chippa are always fighting against relegation.
In a farmer’s league, the gap between those that win the championship and others is ridiculously big.
After 27 matches played, Sundowns have 65 points, 18 ahead of second-placed Supersport United. Crazy, I know.
Worse, they won the league with seven matches remaining.
Historically, it was a mathematical fact that it takes reaching 34 points to ensure survival in the PSL, but because we live in farmer’s league-dom, that has surely changed.
With the three matches, Stellenbosch FC, placed seventh on the standings has 33 points. The jokes write themselves.
Whatever it is that is happening in the PSL, it spells disaster for the future.
Well, after all the old guard running affairs there by Jan Smuts Avenue (PSL headquarters) could not care.
They have had an acting CEO who is a PSL club owner lasting longer than permanent CEOs.
It’s a strange spaza shop arrangement but this scribe is not surprised knowing who calls the shots.
If it is a mess at administration level, it is only a matter of time before it spills over to the field of play in ushering in a farmer’s league, which is exactly where South Africa is at.
Cry the lovers of the beautiful game.
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