SA based players hope season won’t be cancelled
Some South Africa-based Malawian players are keeping their fingers crossed that an option to cancel the 2019/20 season will not be exercised.
The current campaign has been suspended since mid-March, but new developments suggest it could be declared null and void.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has seven Malawian players, namely Limbikani Mzava (Highlands Park), Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango (Orlando Pirates), Gerald Phiri Jnr and Richard Mbulu (Baroka FC), Robert Ng’ambi (Black Leopards), Dennis Chembezi and Khuda Muyaba (Polokwane City) while Chawanangwa Kawonga (TS Sporting) plays in the second-tier GladAfrica Championship.
City Press and goal.com reported that the season could be scrapped if the league’s executive committee members have their way.
Should the season be scrapped, Mhango could be the biggest victim as he currently leads the chase for the Lesley Mayathela Golden Boot Award which goes with a R50 000 (about K2.3 million) prize.
Mhango was not available for comment yesterday, but his compatriots Mzava and Phiri said it would be a major setback.
Said Mzava: “As things are now, it is not clear whether the season will resume because they [authorities] keep on coming up with different stories.
“It could affect us financially because we could lose out on things like appearance fees. On the other hand, it could be a blessing in disguise because we will now know what’s in store other than keeping us guessing.”
On his part, Phiri said: “It’s going to be sad, but then at the end of the day this pandemic has taken a toll on a lot of things. So, let us just wait and see.”
On Tuesday, the PSL held an urgent board of governors meeting following a statement from the South African Football Association (Safa) that competitive football can return in the first week of August.
The league, in their statement on Wednesday, said it will engage all stakeholders on the way forward as it was clear from Safa’s statement the season would not be completed before August 31.
