Cape Town – Boxing promoters should start watching local football, because the next Baby Jake, Brian Mitchell or Dingaan Thobela might well be lurking in the Premier Soccer League.
Kaizer Chiefs defender Morgan Gould certainly showed last weekend that he has a solid left hook when he floored Wits’ Getaneh Kebede during a Premiership match.
Kebede didn’t see it coming, because of Gould’s impressive hand speed. Even referee Lwandile Mfiki missed the punch, which was odd because of the way Kebede’s knees just gave in.
The Ethiopian striker apparently also woke up looking for his mommy after Gould displaced his jaw.
Wits have since asked for action against Gould and Mfiki, although the referee’s guide dog has been excused. But the PSL has been rather quiet on the matter so far.
Ironically, the question about retrospective action – using video evidence after the fact – recently came up in a press briefing with the PSL chief executive Brand de Villiers after a few handbags were thrown in the Soweto derby between Chiefs and Pirates.
“We do review these sorts of incidents, but the decision to charge must be made by our prosecutor,” De Villiers said.
In 2008, the PSL used video evidence to suspend Gary Goldstone (then of Maritzburg United) after breaking the jaw of former Chiefs striker Tshepo Bulu.
The referee missed the incident completely, but the incident was caught on camera and Goldstone was charged with assault.
Since then, however, we haven’t seen much from the PSL when it comes to taking action against dangerous play. And it looks like Gould is going to get away with this act of thuggery.
The PSL’s prosecutors’ office seems to be a bit disorganised at the moment, especially after it made the league a fair amount of cash a few seasons ago. Or is it because Chiefs are one of the teams who get preferential treatment in the league?
It would have been interesting to see the reaction of the league had it been a Wits player flooring Gould with an overhand right.
*We have to commend Orlando Pirates for their effort during the African Champions League. They fought like tigers, but it was always going to be a tough ask to beat the continent’s best club side Al Ahly.
When the Egyptian giants play in front of a packed stadium, they are almost impossible to beat. Especially as half of the opposition team’s players are blinded by all the green laser lights coming out of the stands.
Nonetheless, South African teams need more deep runs in the Champions League to get used to playing in Africa. This will benefit Bafana Bafana’s qualifying efforts in the future.
If our players can get used to the green disco lights, then we can maybe qualify for an African Cup of Nations or even a World Cup.
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
@piersmorgan: As for Van Pursestrings’ gracelessly over-the-top goal celebration – it just makes it easier to carry on loathing him. #Afc
@Klatey7: Grateful n thankful to have been part of this amazing journey with the team ... We didn’t win it but there’s nothing to be ashamed off ...
WHO TO FOLLOW
@MilanoUnitedFC1: The National First Division’s league leaders are on fire at the moment.
*Follow John Goliath on Twitter – @JohnGoliath88.
*Send us your views – [email protected]