THIS weekend marks the official start of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) 2025/2026 season after a long two-month break, which, in another world, would have been enough to iron out some issues that were thorny last season.
But, warning – this is South African football; we play on, and we will find ourselves dealing with the very same issues as it has been season in, season out.
And because of this, the phrase about “respecting the fans who spend their hard-earned money to watch games and support us”, has got to be the most condescending speech in South African football.
Because really, is it respect to serve the very hard-working fans the same problems season after season?
Take the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) matter for instance, the season is starting and there is not a single step to point out that it may be here soon.
That, after the Minister of Sports Gayton McKenzie promised last season that it will be here by this time.
Instead, we learned in the last month that McKenzie has joined the likes of PSL Chairman Irvin Khoza and the South African Football Association (Safa) President Danny Jordaan in the finger-pointing game regarding why the technology is not being implemented.
Anyways, VAR is not the only talking point ahead of the season, even though it will probably dominate as we look ahead to neverending refereeing blunders that undermine the hard-working fans, job-always-on-the-line coaches and the game itself.
At this stage we can only hope that Safa have done their part to get them (referees) up to speed, fitness and sharpness ahead of the season.
Other people who are guilty of serving that condescending speech to the hard-working fans, are those who are the heart of the game themselves – the players.
Yes, things are easily said tahn done from the sidelines, behind the keyboard or from the stands, but the fans deserve a bit of an improved quality.
It would be nice to see an end to the avalanche of games drawn. It would be nice to see goals, goals and more goals! It would be nice to see a race to the league title and not have Mamelodi Sundowns winning it yet again with about seven or so games still to go. It would be nice to see a hot race to the Golden Boot award, and see it taking us over a 20-goal margin.
Honestly, it is not too much to ask that this season, can the #FansMatter too!
