PSL advised to consider the return of 18-team Premiership

Former Ajax Cape Town striker Nathan Paulse believes that a prolonged season will bring too many complications to clubs, especially the issue around player contracts.


Paulse says the fairest way to complete the campaign may be to have no relegation and go to 18 teams in the 2020/21 Premiership season.

READ: Baroka set to let go of former Ajax striker Nxumalo 

Last month, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) suspended league action after the coronavirus outbreak.

With the League yet to announce the new date, it does not look likely that it would finish before June 30, the day when some players’ contracts end.

“I want us to continue from where we left off, but the reality of this is not going to suit what we want, there are far too many complications with a prolonged season which boils down to contracts of players and clubs, because contracts don’t cater for these issues,” Paulse told the Ajax website.

“What do you do if a player must leave by June but you need him for promotion or relegation? If you look at the other solution of just promoting and relegating those teams as they stand then you face angry team owners.

“In my humble opinion, ask yourself what’s the argument here, so I would push the teams to 18 in the league with no relegation, by doing so you allow Ajax Cape Town up to the top stream and you let three teams from second to fourth in the GladAfrica Championship fight out promotion for the other spot in the Absa Premiership for next season.

“That will free up two spots at the bottom — then you take all the first placed teams in the ABC into the normal promotion playoffs. Is it a perfect solution? Maybe not, but none of them are, this just solves a small area of argument which is who gets relegated and who gets promoted.”

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