Zakes’ Sports Corner has been told that Young Pirates FC is going to play their ABC Motsepe League home game in Midvaal.

So, what does this mean for our football in this region?

MATTER OF FACT, Zakes’ Sports Corner was under the impression that the club would play their league matches either at Qedilize ground in Evaton North in Vaal, or even at the Isak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark. These two venues in the past hosted top-flight football, especially the Isak Steyl Stadium. This venue hosted the Motsepe Foundation Championship and DSTV Diski Challenge matches in the past.

So, based on this, Zakes’ Sports Corner thought this venue would be a top pick for Young Pirates FC to play their home fixtures.

However, Zakes’ Sports Corner was wrong to think this venue would be automatically chosen.

Whenever this venue hosted either the Motsepe Foundation Championship or DDC matches, the local soccer fans came in numbers. Please, don’t get Zakes’ Sports Corner wrong. I’m not suggesting that the choice for the club to use the Meyerton Stadium is a bad decision.

No, Not at all!

Those with long memories will recall how, in the past, Meyerton Stadium used to host the ABC Motsepe League matches, formerly the Vodacom League. Zakes’ Sports Corner wants to believe that the decision for the Young Pirates FC management to use this venue for their home games was purely based on the interest of football, especially the Midvaal community.

But having said this, the club’s management could have looked at a number of things before they made the decision to play their home games there. For example, the population was something that they could have thought about before the decision was made.

Isak Steyl Stadium and Qedilizwe were the most central venues.

These are top-notch soccer facilities that the club could have utilised!

But the reality is that it is well known that the Emfuleni Local Municipality’s services are a BIG concern. The sports facilities are not maintained, and Zakes’ Sports Corner guesses that Young Pirates FC’s decision to play their game in Midvaal was something to do with service delivery under this municipality.

I hope I’m not wrong!

The sporting facilities in Emfuleni leave much to be desired, to say the least.

Zakes’ Sports Corner wishes Young Pirates FC all the best in their campaign in the ABC Motsepe League in the new season. Let the games begin!