BLACK SWALLOWS MUST FRY!

My dearest readers ...

As our football takes baby-steps enroute to the Land of Milk and Honey of professionalism, there is no doubt we will encounter a lot of speed-humps along the way. It’s an unchartered terrain that calls for a lot of resolve from those entrusted with leading us to the Promised Land. Nobody said it was going to be easy. 

But then what happens when one of those given this unenviable task among the silk-suited souls in our football leadership is caught with his pants down? What happens when those entrusted with leading by example then mis-lead by mis-example?

 Pigg’s Peak Black Swallows under the stewardship of Charles Matsebula, needless to say an Executive Committee member and ‘Head of Administration’, arrived 23 minutes late for their first league encounter with Manzini Sea Birds at King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium on Sunday. The game had to be called off and subsequently the Premier League of Eswatini (PLS) as per Article 4:16 of the rules and regulations, is expected to prefer charges against the Pigg’s Peak based outfit who, lest we forget, were in the relegation quagmire before the 2019/2020 season was cancelled.

scenario

Article 4:16 is very clear in such a scenario and it reads: “Any club reporting for card checking (15) minutes after the scheduled start of the match will result in the match being called-off. The offending team shall be liable to a disciplinary hearing and if found guilty, shall be fined an amount not less than E50 000 and shall further be deemed to have caused the abandonment of the match and shall further lose the match with three points and three goals awarded to their opponents.”

Now here is a team administered by the esteemed ‘Head of Administration’ in the newly-elected PLE Executive Committee unorthodox structure failing to honour a fixture on time. I want to believe as ‘Head of Administration’ in the PLE, Matsebula would be first to know the league fixtures; dates and times even if there are any changes. How then does his own team arrive late for games? What kind of example is he setting here?

But this is not even about Matsebula, one of the most vocal football administrators, who was instrumental behind-the-scenes in the change of leadership in the PLE, it is about the integrity of the league. It is about the respect for sponsors in particular MTN Eswatini, who have supported local football for the past 20 years. This is about the respect for the rules and regulations governing the sport. That’s why Black Swallows must fry!

integrity

If the PLE is to uphold the integrity of the sport and as an organisation, they should set an example with Black Swallows so that all the 30 teams under their auspices will respect the fixtures and what they stand for. This is not makhuleni football, where the times for games kickoff and ending is determined by sunset. This is elite league football. Even at regional league level such things no longer happen. What does this say about our so-called premier league? It is blindingly obvious we consistently over-estimate our limited potential as a country. It is true we value ourselves highly yet we still deal with such administration bedlam.

I am utterly disappointed that, in this day and age, we are still confronted with such teething challenges of a team failing to honour a game on time.

Now, we even talk about clinching TV Broadcast deals with SuperSport when some teams like Black Swallows arrived a good 23 minutes late? We can’t be serious. 

Our teams still have many challenges with adherence to the CAF Club Licensing programme tenets in particular the juniors. Then we still have to deal with issues of late coming. Honestly, how do you justify such poor administration?

standards

I have been advocating for the PLE to set standards in the elite league and this is one of the reasons I still say some of the teams do not deserve to be in elite league because they lack the basics. If the PLE does not nip such glaring poor administration in the bud early on, with the COVID-19 pandemic challenges, we will have the longest season in years, especially given that we have a 16-team league. These are the issues that need to be dealt with urgently and decisively so that they can set the benchmark for the season. We cannot expect people to take our league seriously when we still have teams arriving late for games and then offering lame excuses.

Black Swallows must fry for bringing our league into disrepute!

Finish n’ Klaar ...

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