Battle for Premier Soccer League survival heats up
JOHANNESBURG – The fight for Premiership survival will be more intense and fierce than the battle for the championship with as many as seven teams skating on thin ice.
Things are so tight at the bottom that eighth placed Stellenbosch FC are just seven points ahead of AmaZulu, who languish at the bottom of the 16-team standings.
The gap between Stellies and leaders Kaizer Chiefs is a mammoth 21 points, highlighting the gulf in class in those that are fighting for survival and the clubs involved in the race for the premiership.
The common denominator in the bottom five clubs - Chippa United, Baroka FC, Black Leopards, Polokwane City and AmaZulu - is instability.
All these clubs have made coaching changes, some driven by panic but mainly by the situation of starring down at the barrel of relegation and the huge financial losses it comes with.
New Bakgaga coach Dylan Kerr is yet to sit in the technical area for the Limpopo side due to work permit issues despite being appointed in late December.
In his absence, assistant coach Matsimela Thoka has led the team in their matches in 2020.
New Bakgaga coach Dylan Kerr is yet to sit in the technical area for his side. Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix
In five games under Thoka, Baroka have collected six points after beating Rise and Shine and Maritzburg United on Sunday.
Thoka and Bakgaga were elated at the three points they got from Maritzburg in a match that looked destined to end in a draw.
The victory put them three points ahead of Lidoda Duvha, Rise and Shine and Usuthu.
“They were very, very important points for us. Three points difference is a game. To have three teams below us with 17 points is very, very important. It gives us good motivation going into the next game,” Thoka said.
The relegation scrap should be an opportunity for Limpopo club owners to do some introspection with all three clubs fighting to avoid relegation.
The management of these clubs has been questionable with emotional decisions as well as lack of patience hurting their ambitions.
Things just didn’t work out for Wedson Nyirenda at Baroka, despite holding the honour of being the first coach to bring a trophy to Limpopo.
The side went on a downward spiral since that success.
Coincidentally, all three clubs have had issues when some of their key players refused to extend their contracts.
Rodney Ramagalela was thrown into the wilderness by Polokwane, while Bakgaga frustrated Mduduzi Mdantsane, who would have made his Cape Town City debut against Baroka, by launching a frivolous case claiming that they didn’t release him despite having announced his departure and signing a clearance.
Marks Munyai and Phathutshedzo Nange received the cold shoulder from Leopards after announcing they had signed pre-contracts.
Meanwhile, there are rumours that coach Cavin Johnson could be suspended by Leopards due to his poor start, having been roped in after he was sacked by AmaZulu, who languish at the bottom.
Usuthu have been too reliant on Bonginkosi Ntuli, leading to a situation where things are bleak if the forward doesn’t find the back of the net.
The arrival of Milos Lacny should ease the load on Ntuli, but the Slovakian will need time to adapt - a luxury Usuthu don’t have.
Time is not on the side of any of the teams involved in the fight for survival with the league going into the final stretch.