by Smiso Msomi
The MTN8 will provide football fans with huge excitement and prospective trophy ambitions in the opening weeks of the new season.
The not-so-fancied teams who managed to secure themselves a place among the top eight begin the season with new possibilities of winning a first top-flight trophy or adding to their trophy cabinet.
Moroka Swallows FC, Sekhukhune United, Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs captured the final four places in this year’s MTN8, and will battle their respective opponents in the coming weeks.
Here we take a look at four potential top-eight contenders for the new season.
Moroka Swallows FC
Head Coach: Steve Komphela
Last Season: Eighth
Prediction: Eighth
A “revival” of the Dube Birds has seen the club’s board venture off into a busy transfer market to pick up some sought-after names to lead their project.
The club concluded last season in dramatic fashion as then coach Musa Nyatama masterminded a final-day entry into the top eight.
This season, the young mentor welcomes the experience of Steve Komphela, who will now lead the technical team, with Nyatama and Ditheko Mototo as his assistants.
Given Komphela’s success at Mamelodi Sundowns, he is expected to do well at Swallows, having lured midfielder Andile Jali to the club.
Swallows are expected to surprise many this season, and also retain their place in the top half of the Premiership standings.
Royal AM
Head Coach: John Maduka
Last Season: 11th
Prediction: Seventh
Thwihli Thwahla will head into the new season with contrasting emotions. They are buoyed by having coach John Maduka at the helm once again, while battling off-field controversy.
It remains to be seen how their inability to sign new players has damaged their overall ambitions, with the club yet to settle the amount set by Fifa to pay Samir Nurkovic.
However, as proven before, Maduka’s influence on Royal AM cannot be understated, and while they won’t be among the title contenders, they remain superior to the rest.
The club’s move to the Harry Gwala Stadium may also provide a welcome boost to their support base.
AmaZulu
Head Coach: Pablo Franco Martin
Last Season: 12th
Prediction: Sixth
The KwaZulu-Natal club have gone through the most change during the close season, with wholesale changes from staff to players dominating headlines in recent weeks.
Usuthu’s decision to appoint a former Real Madrid assistant coach in Martin may prove to be either a masterstroke or complete disaster, as his adjustment to the unique demands of the PSL will be challenging.
However, the club have captured the signatures of midfielders Rowan Human and Celimpilo Ngema as part of their rebuild.
AmaZulu’s 2022-23 season was littered with inconsistency, dragging them to potential relegation towards the end, but they are expected to be much better time around.
Cape Town City
Head Coach: Eric Tinkler
Last Season: Fourth
Prediction: Fifth
The continuously progressing Cape Town City have made themselves into one of the most consistent teams on the top half of the table.
City’s fourth-place finish in the league last time out came as no surprise as a Khanyisa Mayo-inspired side strung together impressive results at crunch time.
The club have managed to hold onto some of their most prized players, while adding international steel in both defence and the striking departments.
City have kept hold of both Brice Ambina and Mayo, as well as bringing in Congolese defender Ramazani Tshimanga and forward Jo Paciencia, making them favourites to once again make the top five.
@ScribeSmiso