Editor's Column - Clint Roper

So the 2014/15 PSL season is officially done and dusted. We wave goodbye to AmaZulu and welcome back Golden Arrows.   While we wait to see if Moroka Swallows can hold onto their PSL status or whether someone else will force their way into the PSL, the spectre of match-fixing looms large. Although now it is quiet on that front, one has to wonder whether the PSL are hoping to simply sweep it all under the table as quickly as possible so that it just disappears, as have all the previous match-fixing debacles.    The cogs and wheels of the coaching merry-go-round also look set to start grinding again pretty soon, and there is a great deal of interest in the coaching movements that inevitably happen around about now.    On the playing front, the biggest stories remain the future of Itumeleng Khune and Tefu Mashamaite, and to be honest this looks like a case of the horse, or both horses, having already bolted. It sounds like these have been ugly negotiations, ones that I don't see being resolved if at this point in time they have not been finalised - but this is football, so you never really know until the official announcement is made by the club… or you hear it first from the Siyagobhoza crew.    One thing that did strike me when hearing some of the figures thrown around regarding player movement and salary demands is that a well-paid player in the PSL gets anywhere between R150 000 and R300 000 a month for wearing the colours of the club. This is something I find rather ironic.   These players tell us in interviews that their heart is with the club, that their loyalty is with the club and that the fans are always the most important people to keep happy. Yet, even when these players are rich beyond their wildest dreams (and most certainly are set for life), if a new club, with new colours and new fans comes knocking with a bigger pay cheque, they are off in a flash.    Now compare this to the average South African football fan who, based on research done by the Soccer Laduma Research department, earns in the region of R8000 a month (some far less and some considerably more). These fans never switch clubs, colours or allegiances. They are Sundowns for life, Bucs for life or Amakhosi for life, and so on. That's just the way it is. But when you weigh up what a good player gets for wearing the team jersey each month… say R200 000… and hold it up to what the supporter gets for wearing the jersey… R0… what is ironic is the guy getting the R0 pay cheque is almost certainly more loyal to the club.    That is why it was so refreshing to see the PSL Chairman's Award going to a supporter this season. R250 000 in the pocket of a fan is massive and surely a world first.    We are very proud of Botha Msila, as he is a long-time reader of Soccer Laduma and a founding committee member of the Soccer Laduma Supporters Club. Those of you not signed up for the Supporters Club section of the Soccer Laduma website may not have seen his interview with Supporters Club Editor Vuyani Joni, so here is an excerpt from the interview for you.    Vuyani Joni: Botha, how does it feel to finally get the recognition you deserve, not only for attending matches, but for playing a leading role in creating a conducive atmosphere for the players to express themselves on the field of play?   Botha Msila: Err… my brother, firstly I'd really like to thank the chairman of the PSL, Dr Irvin Khoza, and everyone who has been supporting me throughout. I also need to thank my fellow supporters who have been walking this road with me, because our job is to create a positive vibe at the stadium. I also want to thank Soccer Laduma Supporters Club for the wonderful support. I'm very, very happy and I don't even know what to say. It brings tears to my eyes seeing all the initiatives and effort that we, the supporters, have made is being appreciated. I'd really like to see more supporters benefit from their hard work and commitment to the game. I also have to thank those who continue to give me lifts to different stadiums in their cars.    Now, R250 000 is a lot of money, but if you break it down, it is still just one supporter being rewarded for a lifetime's work with the equivalent of what some players earn in a month. And I agree with Botha that more supporters should benefit from the game they essentially keep alive. Which is why if you're a South African soccer supporter, you must sign up to become a member of the Soccer Laduma Supporters Club today! Now, you're not going to win R250 000, but there are little wins almost every day, and these will get bigger as our current number of 30 000 signed up members grows.   You see, besides being able to steer the content of the publication and the website by chatting daily to the Soccer Laduma editors, as our numbers grow, our bargaining power becomes stronger, our voice becomes louder and soon we will be significant enough in numbers to start having a real say in South African soccer and ensure the way it's run best benefits you, the supporters. The fact of the matter is that the collective bargaining power of the supporters is actually what results in the TV deals and the sponsorship deals flowing in to South African soccer. Through the Soccer Laduma Supporters Club we can make sure that the vast power you collectively hold actually results in some real benefits for you.    Remember, at the end of the day, there is no professional game without you!    Shapa,   Clint