The PSL return is soon. Around the beginning of August. The 1st to be exact. Well, that’s at least what Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Irvin Khoza is proposing.
The league was supposed to return on the 18th of July but the PSL failed to reach an agreement with the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the ‘unavailability of match officials’.
As much as I’m sure Irvin Khoza and his board love watching football this has more to do with as he put it ‘business’.
On Monday Khoza held a press conference where he said that‚ while Fifa will accept a 2019/20 season going past August 31 if informed‚ the league sees such a cut-off date as essential due to pressing financial concerns.
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“That is why it is urgent for us to (restart the season) because beyond the 30th of June we won’t be able to pay the clubs their grants and if that happens it means we must now revert back to section 189 for retrenchments‚” said Khoza.
“That is the reality of the situation‚ it has been stressful for the clubs. Some of the clubs took it upon themselves to do some kind of dealings with the players by asking for reductions of about 30 to 40 percent of their packages.
“The unfortunate part is that from the 30th of June‚ that was the last time we get the grant. What we find is the new season going forward and the sponsors at this point in time‚ especially the broadcaster‚ for the last three months they have allowed for us to pay and be paid without asking questions in terms of what we are giving in return.
“What we have done as the PSL is that we have made sure that we stick to what we promised the players until the 30th of June. I also want to thank Fifa for allowing us to engage the players and the Players Union that they must corporative for sporting integrity.
“All the clubs must play and finish the season with a full complement of the players. Hence we have extended from the 30th of June to the 30th of July‚ but we went beyond that as the PSL to the 30th of August.”