Is pro soccer taking us anywhere? Philly's Games boss defends kasi football

Philly's Games director of football Bheki Zondo has defended showboating at kasi tournaments. 

Zondo believes a balance between the often criticised, sometimes needless trickery in those tournaments and the "overly organised" football in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is what could take the game forward.    

The tricks commonly displayed at township tournaments — sometimes outrageous and for the purpose of crowd reaction rather than trying to beat opposition players — have been criticised for making a mockery of the game and holding back progress in South African football.

PSL football coaches, on the other hand, have been criticised for seeking results-only football through organisation and fitness regimes and stamping out the natural flair of South African players.

Speaking on the sidelines of the DStv Ekasi Champ of Champs draw this week, Zondo said while there is less showboating in the professional ranks, South African football is not going anywhere.

“We have formal football in our professional league and we are still not going anywhere,” Zondo said. “Now why don’t we do what we are best known for and naturally known for? Which is not [necessarily] too much showboating, but we need to show the flair.”

During the Philly's Games in December last year, players of Isithembiso FC were heavily criticised for a move mimicking sleeping on the ground, allowing Phanda FC to score a goal with no-one attempting mark them.

Isithembiso were already 6-0 up on aggregate when they performed the perplexing trick.

Zondo said kasi games organisers will continue to encourage players to express themselves freely on the pitch.

“There are no restrictions,” he said. “We don’t want European influence in our football. And that is [the reason] why our football is not going anywhere — because there’s too much influence we don’t know and we are going nowhere.

“Why don’t we do what we know? Here it’s freestyle, we are giving players freedom to do what they want, what they can do best and what we are known for as South Africans, if not Africans.”

The Champ of Champs at Dobsonville Stadium from June 16 to July 2, which is televised on SuperSport, is back for its second year. This edition will also feature teams from outside Gauteng.

“The excitement we are looking forward to this year is to look at the mixture of the provinces,” Zondo said. “Last year we had only teams from Gauteng and this year we spice things up with teams from other provinces — Limpopo, the North West and Mpumalanga.

“The vision is we need to have the Champ of Champs going nationally. All the provinces should be included.”

The eight teams participating are:

• Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena’s Black Poison FC;
• Free Agent FC;
• Covid-19 FC;
• Swidi Wodwa FC;
• SSU;
• Ramatlaohle FC from Limpopo;
• Mpumalanga’s Phaphama FC; and
• Ramokoka FC United from the North West. 

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