Just hand the league title to log leaders Kaizer Chiefs, says Kgoloko Thobejane

Former Baroka FC coach Kgoloko Thobejane says the league title should be awarded to long-time Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs if all options of concluding the suspended campaign in a safe environment have been explored and failed.

Chiefs held a four point lead over defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns‚ who have a game in hand‚ when the season was suspended in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Thobejane said the administrators are facing a ‘very tricky’ conundrum as they have to also find solutions to the relegation and promotion battle in the GladAfrica Championship‚ in the ABC Motsepe League and in the Safa Regional Leagues.

“This whole thing is challenging but if we are not continuing with the season it means that Kaizer Chiefs must be given the league championship because they are leading on points on the log.

"We can’t say this season must overlap into next season‚” said Thobejane‚ who is the coach of ABC Motsepe League side Passion FC in Carolina‚ Mpumalanga.

“We may end up with a situation where there is no relegation and we have two more teams in the PSL‚ and we have two less in the NFD next season.

"The other headache is how are you going to promote teams from the ABC Motsepe League because we have nine teams that will be on top of the log in their respective provinces leagues and you need playoffs to decide who is promoted to NFD.”

Thobejane said before a decision is taken on whether to hand over the title to Chiefs‚ attempts to meet the safety requirements must be explored to the fullest.

“As things stand‚ Chiefs are number one on the log but the administrators will also have to decide on relegation and promotion‚ which includes the play-offs.

"This is not going to be easy if we can’t finish the season.

"But at the same time I think that there is time to try and finish the season because in most cases the league usually starts towards the first week of September.

"If this lockdown is eased in the coming weeks and government says it’s safe to continue playing football towards July‚ we will still have some time to finish the games.

“Most teams in the PSL are left with six games and it is similar in the First Division. In about three weeks we can try to finish the season with teams playing every three days. We should be able to properly crown champions.”