There is no merit in Jabu Mahlangu’s argument that there must be financial fair-play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to avoid a situation where one club ends up buying all the good players because of their financial muscle, according to Mamelodi Sundowns legend Lovers Mohlala.
Mohlala was responding to Mahlangu’s remarks in a video that went viral on social media. In the video, Mahlangu criticises Sundowns for using their unlimited budget to sign top soccer players in the PSL.
He goes on to say some of these players end up on the bench, arguing that Sundowns’ misbehaviour must be stopped.
Mahlangu is a former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates dribbling wizard who had many epic clashes on the field with Mohlala, who was a reliable left-back for the Brazilians.
“The PSL is not watchable, I am talking personally about myself, because the PSL standard has dropped,” Mahlangu said on his social media account.
“We have been suggesting the issue of financial fair-play in the PSL but the Masandawana fans obviously want their team to win all the time. The national team is dead now. If you check the game between Chiefs and Sundowns, and look at the team that was selected for Sundowns, and also check the players such as [Lesedi] Kapinga, [Mosa] Lebusa, Rivaldo [Coetzee], the list of players who are sitting on the stands is endless.
“That’s another top team of players sitting in the stands that should be playing in another team. I’m happy some of the fans are starting to notice this, and they are talking about something that must be done, because we can’t have all the top players in one team who don’t play. How are we going to improve?”
However, Mohlala defended his former club.
“Jabu was at Chiefs when they had the phrase ‘Operation Vat Alles’, and they were winning all the trophies. Putco Mafani [Chiefs former public relations officer] was the person behind this,” Mohlala said.
“Jabu is now talking about financial fair-play, but he was happy and quiet when Chiefs were signing all the stars. Chiefs had the best players in the 1980s and 1990’s, and they were winning all the trophies.
“I cannot say he is out of order, it is his opinion and I respect that, but I wonder what that opinion is based on.”
Mohlala explained further: “The Rupert family are the owners of Stellenbosch FC and they are more wealthy than the Motsepe family. The Motsepe family wants to leave a legacy in football and I do not know about the other wealthy families – maybe they are in football to make a profit.
“The AmaZulu owner, Sandile Zungu, is a wealthy businessman as well, and we cannot control him or tell him how to invest his money in football.”
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