There’s no season that starts without relegation candidates. In the Premier Soccer League (PSL) the job of identifying a few of them has never been as easy as in the coming season.
Many PSL club owners are battling to keep their clubs afloat, while others, like newbies Royal AM, are lacking in the administration prowess that may keep them in the paying ranks longer.
Teams like Chippa United, who have been avoiding relegation by a whisker season after season, will continue to fight it out at the bottom in 2023-24. Chippa’s situation has been prolonged by poor administration, inexplicable coaching choices and players; and reports of a constant interference by the bosses in playing affairs.
Then there are Polokwane City and Cape Town Spurs, the rookies in the coming season. Some promoted teams have adapted quickly and proved competitive, but there’s doubt that both clubs, who been in the top-flight before, will survive.
Richards Bay FC might have managed to duck relegation by the skin of their teeth as rookies last season — the coming one might prove much tougher for the KwaZulu-Natal club, who have a new coach in Kaitano Tembo.
Polokwane City
Though City earned straight promotion ahead of Spurs at the end of last season, they, rather than Spurs, are expected to battle to keep their status.
The reasons are plenty, but the glaring one is the inability of club owner Johnny Mogaladi to beef up their squad with experienced PSL players. Another is the uncertainty in the coaching set-up, which was evident even on the last day of last season when the Limpopo club got promoted.
Among some familiar names in Rise and Shine’s squad is Lucky Baloyi, a former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder. Baloyi is now 32 and in the twilight of his career. He’s joined by another veteran in defender Given Mashikinya, who was at Sekhukhune FC last season.
Lerato Lamola, 37, Mohau Mokate, 32, and Puleng Tlolane, 32, are among veterans who helped City bounce back after their relegation three seasons ago. Tlolane, who now goes by the surname of Marema, was instrumental as captain and attacker in ensuring they finished ahead of Spurs.
It’s in the coaching department where Mogaladi has put Phuti Mohafe ahead of Duncan Lechesa in the pecking order. This is where there has been some confusion. Former Free State Stars midfielder Lechesa was head coach for much of last season but was not on the bench when they got promoted on the last day.
He had been battling ill health, but the understanding was that once he had recovered, he would coach the team in the PSL. Mogaladi has not explained why Lechesa has not been restored as head coach. For now Mohafe, who was his assistant for much of last season, looks set to start the season in charge.
Royal AM
After surviving comfortably in their two seasons in the top-flight since buying Bloemfontein Celtic, the Pietermaritzburg club may find the third campaign far trickier. One of the reasons is the battle the Shauwn Mkhize-owned club has with Fifa.
Fifa have banned AM from signing new players over their unresolved saga with unpaid former Kaizer Chiefs striker Samir Nurković.
That the club starts 2023-24 fighting a Fifa ban and unable to sign new players is a huge red flag. Goalkeeper King Ndlovu, Sibusiso Sibeko and Nkanyiso Zungu are potential new players for the club, but they cannot sign them until the situation is resolved.
It is a battle that will see coach John Maduka starting the season under huge pressure, having steered the club to a secure 11th place in 2022-23. AM seem to be sliding down the PSL rankings as quick as their rise after they finished third in 2021-22.
Chippa United
For the past four seasons chair Asiviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has narrowly managed to keep his club in the top-flight, with many coaches employed and fired almost immediately.
The 2023-24 season will see Morgan Mammila start in his second stint as head coach at the Eastern Cape club. But after five games everyone will know whether the former policemen will last on that notoriously hot bench, the occupation of which Mpengesi has turned into a circus.
After bouncing back from the promotion-relegation playoffs in 2020-2021, Chippa have finished 14th in the last three seasons, and the coming one cannot be different given how they’ve performed in the transfer market.
Augustine Mulenga, Luvuyo Memela, Craig Martin, Menzi Ndwandwe, Goodman Mosele, Thamsanqa Sangweni are among the new players. Mammila’s lack of coaching experience should not help the club change their fortunes and most people know what that will lead to: changing of coaches and battling relegation once again.
Lamontville Golden Arrows
Of the three four clubs mentioned here, Arrows have been unlikeliest to be associated with the dreaded axe. They may argue that they’re in the category of Richards Bay, AmaZulu, Stellenbosch, Sekhukhune United and Cape Town Spurs as lower to mid-table competitors expected to do enough to remain in the top ranks.
Arrows are now backed by a betting company, which should help them with transfers, particularly in January if they don’t start the season as well as expected and after losing start attacker Pule Mmodi to Kaizer Chiefs and Ntsako Makhubela to Swallows FC.
Arrows coaches Mabhudi Khenyeza and Vusumuzi Vilakazi have not added any big name players in the past two seasons. Bradley Cross, Olwethu Ncube, Angelo Van Rooi, Nhlanhla Zwane and Teboho Motloung are among the less familiar players brought in.
Khenyeza and Vilakazi have mastered blending young and no-name players with established stars such as Knox Mutizwa, Nduduzo Sibiya, Velemseni Ndwandwe and Ryan Moon and the same can be expected as they battle to survive once more in the coming season.
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