Dear Premier Soccer League
I hope all is well.
I’m writing this letter with an intention of expressing my momentous concern about the standard of our strikers.
The PSL is a massive product that is consumed by millions in Africa and we should not reward mediocrity. If we keep on rewarding it, then we will continue to get quantity instead of quality on the field of play.
We are halfway through the 2018/19 season but our top marksman has just netted a mere five goals.
Emiliano Tade and Tshegofatso Mabasa are currently level on five strikes after 14 games. This can’t go on guys. If our top strikers are on five goals after 14 games, then it is clear that we are likely to have a top goalscorer finishing with 10 goals.
That is below par by any standard.
Seriously! This can’t go on forever.
At some point it needs to stop. For the past six years our strikers have failed to go beyond the 15 goal tally.
13, 10, 14, 14, 13 and 11.
These are not lotto numbers - these are the number of goals that have been notched up by our strikers for the past six seasons. As one of the biggest leagues in the world, I believe that we should not reward strikers with less than 15 goals.
As a big league, we should set high standards for ourselves. That is imperative. It may sound harsh but maybe we can start to see more goals in our league if we can impose that rule.
Less goals, no money, more goals, more money.
That is the way to go if we are serious about improving our product. Our players love incentives. If no one manages to get 15 goals and then that money should be forwarded in to the following season. I promise you, we will see goals.
Tshegofatso Mabasa of Bloemfontein Celtic during the game between Bloemfontein Celtic and Orlando Pirates at Toyota Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on 19 August. Photo: Frikkie Kapp/BackpagePix
Mohammed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are tied on 10 goals after 17 games in the English Premier League, while Krzysztof Piatek of Genoa is leading the pack with 12 strikes after 16 games in the Italian Seria A.
In Spain, the mercurial, Lionel Messi of Barcelona, is on 14 goals after 16 matches. Nicholas Pepe of Lille is at the summit of the goalscoring chart with 12 goals after 16 games in the French Ligue 1.
Strikers are banging in goals in other parts of the world and we keep on making excuses that our defenders are doing a good job and we are creating numerous chances but we are not converting them.
We need goals, more goals. If you want to be the best you must always compare yourself with the best and that’s why I’m looking at the performances of other talisman in top European leagues. The masses deserves better in the football fraternity in South Africa. Our players seriously need to step up.
The PSL must act and act quickly so that we can resolve this conundrum. Six seasons is a long period.
So, PSL, please refrain from rewarding mediocrity. I’m not being negative but I’m just trying to come up with the solution that can eradicate this conundrum that is facing our football.
Yours faithfully