The one thing that Premier Soccer League (PSL) prides itself on is its unpredictability.
On any given day, any team can beat just about any other side. And this is why, for the last three seasons, the league champions were crowned only on the final day of action.
This season is no different.
It certainly looks as if the winners of the PSL title will again only be known on the last day – May 19.
All the while, it had appeared to be a two-horse race, with Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns setting a scorching pace at the top of the league table. But, in recent weeks, both have faltered. There have been some astounding results as teams in the lower half of the table have started to find form late in the season.
Ajax Cape Town were in the race for a while, but they were blown away by a horrible slump in form a month ago. Kaizer Chiefs were in there, too, but they have now lost three on the trot. Sundowns have lost twice – to lowly Platinum Stars and improving Maritzburg United, while Pirates’ last two results yielded disappointing draws.
As a result, SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows have come strongly into the picture.
Coached by two of the most successful coaches in the PSL, it would be foolish to dismiss the chances of SuperSport and Swallows.
Swallows’ Gordon Igesund has won the championship with Manning Rangers, Santos, Pirates and Sundowns, while Hunt has steered SuperSport to three title victories.
Igesund’s work with Swallows, particularly, has been nothing short of miraculous. This time last season, the Birds were battling relegation; a year later and they are title-challengers.
In fact, Swallows’ Nigerian goalkeeper, Greg Etafia recently referred to Igesund as his club’s “Special One” – referring to Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho’s boast when he took over at Chelsea in 2004.
“I call him the Special One,” Etafia told the PSL’s official website. “As a coach, Gordon has everything. He is like a father figure to the team, and treats everyone as equals. To win the league four times with four different clubs speaks for itself and says everything about him. He is a practitioner; he lives football and always has the right gameplan for each match.”
In addition, Igesund has dragged some extraordinary performances out of some old hands and players who have been discarded by other clubs.
Veteran striker Siyabonga Nomvethe is 34 and had been written off by many but, under Igesund, he has emerged as the PSL’s most potent goal-getter.
Nomvethe is currently the PSL’s top marksman with 13 goals, followed by Free State Stars’ Edward Manqele on 11, and David Mathebula (Swallows), Katlego Mphela (Sundowns) and Eleazar Rodgers (Santos) on 10.
Mathebula is another Swallows man who credits Igesund for the amazing up-turn in his performance curve.
He was going nowhere at Chiefs, until he was brought to Swallows by Igesund. This season, he is many critics’ choice for PSL player of the year.
SuperSport, after a series of draws last month, have screamed into the title race with successive wins over Wits, Jomo Cosmos, Santos and Ajax.
What’s more, Hunt knows that he will have a big say in the destination of the title, as their next three fixtures are against Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns. – Cape Argus