Times Of Swaziland: SA PSL play-off system for SD

SA PSL play-off system for SD
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BHEKISISA MAGONGO on 20/03/2009 00:00:00


MBABANE – The National Football Association of Swaziland (NFAS) has rejected
the PLS proposal to have the National First Division League scrapped off.
Instead, the NFAS has resolved to introduce the South African PSL version of the
play-offs system.
FA CEO Frederick Mngomezulu, in a press briefing yesterday at Sigwaca House,
said many factors were considered by the FA task team that looked into the
matter following a proposal by the PLS during the AGM in July last year.
The new set up will mean that the four teams from the Super League will have to
undergo a play-off, where the top two will earn promotion to the First Division.
The league will, therefore, relegate two teams instead of the normal four.
At the top of the log table, the league winners will gain automatic entry into
the Premier League.
The other spot will be competed via play-offs by the teams occupying position
two to four in the league.
They will be joined by the second bottom team in the Premier League.
"The committee felt that there is a need to strengthen competition in the
league, which we feel the play-offs system that will come into place in the
2010/11 season will help in that aspect. It was felt that the league still meets
its desire objective and scrapping it off would have been wrong," he said.
The PLS had proposed for the dissolution of the league during the FA AGM held on
July 6, last year.
The basis of their proposal was that the league was a financial drain to the
league and that it lessen the number of games played in a year as per the
international standards. They then proposed that the league be merged with the
senior league to have 16 teams. However, in its response, the FA assembly last
Sunday felt the league should be maintained and the PLS put its house in order
in terms of preparing budgets.
When sought for comment PLS’ Moses Motsa could not be reached for as his
mobile phone was on voice mail mode.