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The Absa Premiership dishes up a mouthwatering and intriguing fixture on Saturday.
The Princess Magogo 3pm kickoff could easily be dubbed a “Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman-vs-CEO encounter”.
The match pits old rivals Lamontville Golden Arrows against Orlando Pirates.
Arrows boss Mato Madlala was appointed “interim” CEO on November 11 following the resignation of the then incumbent, Brand de Villiers, who moved to SuperSport – not the club, the television channel.
Announcing the development at the time, the PSL chairman said: “Miss Madlala is not going to get involved with football issues; the football department will be headed by three managers and they will be responsible for football issues, as she is the club owner and can’t take decisions on club fixtures – that will be entirely on middle management, who are responsible for those operations.”
In another interview, he clarified the matter further, saying: “This is just a stopgap measure and there is nothing wrong with that. She is there to give guidance and oversee operations. Anyway, the management of the league is the responsibility of the executive.”
He went further to say that the league’s executive committee would meet early in December “to decide on the way forward to fill the vacant position”.
“The meeting will determine if we headhunt from within or outside, or advertise the position. There is no timeline for that, but the executive will decide.
“We needed a senior person who can take decisions and account to the executive. For example, if Dennis Mumble [Safa CEO] wants something, he must deal with someone senior in the office. There are issues she won’t deal with, like the contracts of players and disciplinary issues. She can’t decide or prosecute, because there are people responsible for that.”
One of the toughest or easiest assignments, depending on which angle you view it from for Ms Madlala, must have been a statement issued by the league after Arrows won the MultiChoice Diski Challenge.
She was quoted as the acting, interim or stopgap PSL CEO saying: “On behalf of the PSL, we would like to congratulate Golden Arrows management, coaching staff, the players and the club supporters for this achievement.”
I guess by mentioning “management”, she was giving herself a pat on the back. And there is no conflict there?
One just hopes that the league sorts out this situation soon, as in some quarters it might be viewed as not being kosher. But I can hear the reasoning already that the league is left with a few matches, so let her just continue until the end of the season.
If you think that sounds familiar, we were told that there were only two or three matches scheduled for December that she would oversee. Five months down the line, she is still acting as we look forward to the PSL chairman vs his CEO on Saturday.
In other news, it was sad to learn this week of the premature retirement of former Buccaneers skipper Siyabonga Sangweni.
What a great player and ambassador of the game!
His humility and soft demeanour were in stark contrast to his tough but clean tackling on the field of play.
Always a marvel to watch, Sangweni chipped in with some crucial goals for the Sea Robbers and Bafana from his central defence position in a short but illustrious career.
We are told he is a good cattle farmer. We wish him all the best, but it would be sad if he were to be totally lost to football.
Given his astuteness in reading the game, knowing when to be defensive and when to take an offensive position, it would not come as a surprise if he goes on to be a great coach.
But why bring Sangweni into the mix here?
Having started his career at Arrows and, given the good relations between them and Pirates, it might be opportune for the clubs to dedicate Saturday’s match to Sangweni.
Follow me on Twitter @S’Bu_Mseleku
