IT’S VICTOR-Y FOR GAMEDZE!

MBABANE – Money spinning South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) has opened its doors on the proposal from Mbabane Swallows boss Victor Gamedze and his partners to buy a Premiership team status.

The Premiership status, which has to be approved by the PSL Board of Directors chaired by Orlando Pirates boss, Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza, normally ranges between E60 million to E80 million and above. The South African media, three months ago, reported how AmaZulu forked out E60 million to buy the status of promoted Thanda Royal Zulu for the Vincent Sokhela-owned team to bounce back to the PSL this season. Swallows chairman Victor Gamedze revealed his interest in the venture on second episode of the Mbabane Swallows TV on pay-per-view channel Supersport two weeks ago. Gamedze was quoted as saying: “With my partners we were discussing that you know what, because of the exposure we have now about football, let’s buy a stake, let’s buy a team from the PSL in South Africa.

“I understand we are Swazis but with my partners we have decided no, let’s buy a stake in South Africa so that we can have a team, so that we can start competing in South Africa because it’s a bigger league. “You see, we want a new challenge, we just want a new atmosphere. We are not interested anymore (in) dominating local football. No, my interest is not there. As a result it will affect my team because I’m not interested that much anymore. Keep on lifting trophies; keep on lifting trophies, no. I wish with my partners to own a stake. We are thinking maybe next year we will be trying to buy a PSL slot with my partners.” PSL spokesman Luxolo September conceded to kickoff.com that such a development would be an unchartered territory in South Africa.

“I wouldn’t be specific about it but I mean the issue of ownership, if a person is a foreigner and is from a different country, there’s some sort of regulation to be adhered to, both at SAFA and also in the NSL handbook so that the relationship is quite governed,” September told Kick Off. “But there’s nothing that excludes any person who is a foreigner from owning a team in South Africa if they have adhered to all the regulations in that country. Look, there is nothing in our rules that deals with that because we’ve never really been presented with that kind of situation. But of course I’m sure when that moment comes, we will have to look into it. There’s no precedent of that and there’s nothing in our rules that specifies on that,” September said.

Some leagues, such as the Major League Soccer in the United States and English Premier League, include teams from differing countries or owned by people of foreign origin like London’s Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City to name but a few. In the Swallows TV programme flighted on Pay-Per-view Channel, SuperSport, Gamedze said he was not undermining the local league but was merely trying to spread his wings in a move which in turn will benefit Swazi soccer, in many ways. Reached for comment last night, a coy Gamedze said buying a status of a team in South Africa is an idea he has mooted with his partners for a long time.
“Playing in Africa really opened my eyes and I realised we still have a long way to go. That’s why now my focus is on winning a local tournament that will take me back to Africa. Buying a status of a team in South Africa is an idea I have already discussed with my partners. It will be a consortium of Swazis and people will be surprised with the names of the people who will be there. Watch this space,” Gamedze said briefly.

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