FOUR-TEAM RELEGATION: WRONG TIMING

It is pointless to waste more ink on the repugnant events that unfolded in the past week following the disagreement on the release of Sihlangu players to their respective clubs between the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE).

Those responsible should bury their heads in their hands in shame following the embarrassing incident which saw referees not showing up for four MTN Premier League games. These are the incidents that water down the strides taken in professionalising local football. There are bigger issues to worry about such as the lack of an internationally-approved national stadium than these petty boardroom squabbles. There is also the unresolved issue of the relegations of teams from the Premier League, as there is a feeling that only two should be chopped instead of the four.

concluded

With the league being concluded in June, the relegation debate will definitely take centre stage in the next few weeks. Reports suggest the PLE has made a request to the EFA to review the current relegation stand. For starters, the 2021/22 MTN Premier League rules and regulations state that four teams should be relegated from the top flight division at the end of the current campaign, with only two clubs promoted from the National First Division to reduce the number of Premier League teams to 14 from 16. Up to six clubs are being chopped in the National First Division (NFD).

calls

There are growing calls for the above stance to be reviewed, with fresh reports suggesting that the PLE wants the 16 teams to be maintained in the elite league. The proposal came after the Board of PLE Governors reportedly raised their concerns on the ‘mass relegation’ during a Special General Meeting. There is no doubt that running the current 16-team league costs an arm and a leg, as there is a lot of travelling for clubs to distant venues in Nhlangano, Siteki, Big Bend and Mhlume, among other venues. There is also the issue of nearly empty stadiums, as fans are yet to fully return to venues following the disruptions caused by the advent of COVID-19.

competition

At the moment, there is only one competition for both the Premier League and NFD teams. That is the MTN League. This leaves the clubs with a maximum number of 30 games to play (excluding replays). This is not enough for the development of competitive players for international assignments, especially Sihlangu. Experts say at the elite level, top professionals can play up to 50 games a season, which for some, includes substantial worldwide travel for continental inter-club tournaments or national team fixtures. Elite players will typically play one to two games a week. With the relegation of four teams, it means the clubs will now play a reduced 26 games each; which is ridiculous if we are serious about achieving maximum performance on the big stage.

maintain

So based on the current situation of having to play only one competition; the best thing to do is to maintain the 16-team league in the Premier League and the 14 for the NFD. This will mean relegating the top division’s bottom two and promoting the same number of sides from the country’s football second-tier. For the NFD, only four should go down to the regions and promote the same number of teams from the Super League. With the hope that sponsors will return in the new season, then the number of teams can be reduced. “I always look for judges who respect precedence,” once wrote Susan Collins. If relegation decisions were reviewed in the past, why not now?

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