Clubs ready despite uncertainty
Mpumalanga-based soccer teams are hard at work preparing for the new 2021/22 season.
Even though the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is still mum about the exact starting date of the new season due to Covid-19, Mpumalanga News has since established that it is likely to kick-off in early September.
The South African Football Association (Safa) has also not released dates for the start of the ABC Motsepe League. Even with no confirmed dates by both the country’s controlling football agencies, the PSL which is tasked for overseeing the DStv Premiership and the GladAfrica Championship and Safa for the ABC Motsepe League, local teams participating in all the streams have begun their pre-season campaigns.
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Most of the teams which spoke to this publication said it was still early days to make huge announcements pertaining to their teams signing new players and coaches. “We are working hard behind the scenes, trying to build a much stronger and competitive team that will make the entire province proud. “Although I am in the position to divulge all our plans, I can confirm that we are cooking up something big. I am sure our supporters and all soccer-loving people of Mpumalanga will not be disappointed,” said DStv Premiership side TS Galaxy’s boss, Tim Sukazi.
He confirmed, however, that the team will continue to play home games at Mbombela, the trusted 2010 Soccer World Cup stadium. “We will continue utilising Mbombela Stadium. It pains us that our supporters cannot come and watch the team play live, but we are hopeful that in the new season things will get better and fans will be allowed to attend soccer games,” he continued.
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The other team on everyone’s lips are TS Sporting, which are campaigning in the National First Division’s GladAfrica Championship. This team had a good showing in the past season and almost qualified for the National play-offs but missed out on the last day of the season. Even though they also haven’t said anything about their plans, they are likely to keep most of their players.
The ABC Motsepe League side FC Sivutsa have parted ways with their coach, the former Orlando Pirates keeper, Innocent Mayoyo.
