I have always been of the opinion that the Premier Soccer League/National First Division Promotional Playoffs are a waste of time and they only serve to compromise the PSL newcomers.
And now the fact that Polokwane City - who were the eventual winners of the 2012/13 NFD title and got automatic promotion, and Mpumalanga Black Aces who came second and were also promoted after winning the Playoffs - proves my theory might be right after all.
??Had the PSL scratched the Playoffs and used the relegation/promotion system, Black Leopards and Chippa United would have been relegated and City and Aces would have been promoted.
??This would have given the PSL newcomers an opportunity to have a proper preseason programme, but as it is, one of these teams, in Aces, only had a week or so to prepare for the upcoming PSL season.
??It would also have given Chippa and Leopards time to prepare for life in the NFD, where teams are expected to use mostly U23 players.
??Aces, who after a tough season in the NFD, had to face Chippa and Santos in the Playoffs, which mind you, were also spread across a few weeks.
?
?As if that was not enough, the Mpumalanga outfit had to wait for the Arbitrator's decision on the Thanda Royal Zulu appeal case, which was delivered only on July 24, barely eight days before the start of the new PSL season.
??Thanda were appealing against the PSL decision to nullify the points for the games that were boycotted by some NFD teams, including Thanda at the beginning of the season. These teams decided to boycott their games in an effort to force the PSL to make the NFD independent from it and to run its own affairs, but their efforts failed to bring the desired results.
In the end Polokwane City won the league after completing their 30 games, but Thanda and several other NFD teams finished the league still a few games short of 30.
?
?But enough of that, back to my point. What I'm trying to say is that I see no need for the Playoffs because the teams that usually finish 15th in the PSL usually get relegated in the end after failing to survive them.
??I'm of the opinion that the two teams that finished first and second in the NFD should get automatic promotion and those that finished 15th and 16th in the PSL should be relegated.
?
?It's unfair for the PSL to give a team that finished in position 15 a second chance to remain in the lucrative league, yet the team that just missed out on winning the NFD title has to win the tough Playoffs in order get promoted.
??The Playoffs are not enhancing the standard of our football instead they are forcing the PSL teams to aim lower, as was the case when Jomo Cosmos were promoted two seasons ago. When asked what was his target for his first season back in the PSL, Cosmos owner and coach Jomo Sono said he would be happy if his team finished 14th on the log and what happened next, Cosmos were relegated that season.
?
?If the PSL can introduce the system that would see two teams relegated and two teams promoted, that would increase competition because the PSL teams will try harder not to be in the relegation dog fight, whereas NFD teams will be aiming for a top two finish.
?
?This system will afford both the relegated teams, and the promoted, time to prepare for the next season.
??Well, these are my thoughts, what are yours?
??Till next time,
?
?Sidlal'idiski!?
?
Khaya Ndubane
Follow Khaya on Twitter: @Lakhandu?
