Innovative solutions needed for referees in the PSL

Week-in, week-out, we, the United Social Networkers of the nation, are bombarded with a stream of tweets and status updates loaded with abusive, insulting and offensive language (referees know I am referring to Law 12) directed at the Premier Soccer League's referees.

On Saturday, we saw some of this oft-seen abusive language we read on our smart-phones turn into actual physical abuse in the match between Golden Arrows and table-toppers Kaizer Chiefs. A Chiefs supporter ran more than a hundred meters into the field and hit referee, Lwandile Mfiki, with the infamous vuvuzela.  The fan's distress seemed to have been caused by Mfiki's decision to give Chief's midfield kingpin, Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane a red card in the 33^rd minute.

This type of behaviour is embarrassing almost serves to emphasize the notion that our PSL is indeed “a joke” (as a classmate recently stated in a class discussion).

If the standard of refereeing is a problem and looks amateurish, then why is it that we, errrm, still have amateur referees?  And I mean amateur in the literal sense. This is because a lot of referees have normal day jobs outside of their duties with the whistle.

Being a referee myself (at youth level), I know how demanding it can be to stay in shape and be up to date with the laws. Life of a referee isn't easy, and even when you plan for things and study time, life happens.  It is extremely difficult.  But that's my simple, limited view, as an amateur.But I am getting sidetracked.  I believe it is time to start talking about solutions instead of merely complaining.

Many have provided their own solutions to the problem on twitter and I hope many more will offer their ideas on how we can deal with referee issues in PSL.  Some will say refs should be banned or dropped to lower divisions, other will say refs should have their salaries cut, and the less-logical among us will say that we should moer them with a vuvuzela for costly mistakes.

I just cant help but wonder if some of that Q-Innovation money could have been diverted to one aspect that directly contributes to the enjoyment of the game by fans - refereeing.  We currently have a tight title-finish coming up and instead of discussions revolving around the actual football being played, discussions mainly revolved around the referee, offside decisions and the like.  Television pundits are probably becoming more accustomed with the FIFA Laws of the Game than tactical innovations in football.

The Q-Innovation idea was supposed to generate excitement and I presume, attract even more fans to the PSL games.  It was supposed to make every game important and keep supporters interested.  I am not a fan of the idea (as usual, I put my feelings in words).  Why was the extra R6 million (R1.5 million multiplied by four) not rather redirected to improving referees or specifically, their salaries?

The powers that be were more than ready to “innovate” and introduce quarterly prizes in the league.  Why weren't “innovative” methods introduced to not improve referees performance, and more specifically, their salaries?  This could gradually evolve to having a full-time panel of dedicated referees.  Becoming a member of the PSL referees panel could eventually end up being viewed as “hitting the big-time” for qualified referees.  With a lot more money to lose for poor performance, this could also have the positive effect of increasing accountability should they be dropped to lower levels.

At the moment, the PSL does not even have a review system in place to look at poor decision made in games.  So, shocking decisions that may arise are not even corrected. In the recent case, Stuart Baxter will just have to accept the suspension of his key player and get on with it/f*** off (delete as appropriate, hehehe).

With five or so games remaining in the league for most teams.  What impact will referees have on who wins the title and who get relegated?  Will the poor referees receive better pay next season?  Will the likes of Mfiki be suspended in the coming weeks and months?  Do we have better referees waiting in the lower divisions?

I do not claim to know all the answers but I am pretty certain that the PSL now needs a solution.  An intervention of some sorts...   An innovation!

I only have one “Q” to ask, when will the men in charge introduce some sort of R-Innovation?

Thomas Monyepao

Please make use of T-Innovation and follow me on twitter @Tom_18Yards.

Another coach bites the dust!

On the day that my favourite football coach, Arsene Wenger, celebrated his 63^rd birthday, having been in charge of my favourite team Arsenal for 589 games (including an impressive 335 wins), the clubs on the local scene have continued their long-held tradition of chopping and changing coaches.

The current Premier Soccer League season is seven games old. Kaizer Chiefs are the official winners of Q1 (the first quarter in the PSL’s latest innovation, aptly named “Q-Innovation”) but generally it looks too early to tell who will end up finishing where and most people would agree with that view - most people.

The men in charge at Chippa United, Ajax Cape Town, and last but not least, Lamontville Golden Arrows are not part of that group of people, or so it seems.

PSL rookies (whom I predicted would be quick to pull the trigger) didn’t waste any time getting to grips with the PSL tradition of hiring and firing coaches, regardless of how old (or young) the season may be.  Chippa United managed to - using some serious euphemism here – “let go’ of the coach who got the team promoted to the Premier Soccer League (Roger Sikhakhane), then they fired his replacement, Manqoba Mngqithi, after a whole TWO games, then proceed to re-hire the very same Roger Sikhakhane.

Ajax Cape Town who, in the words of the relatively successful former coach, Foppe de Haan, “have become a selling club” decided to fire Maarten Stekelenburg after only games.  Having sold so many of their key players, one would think that the club, which has a focus on patiently developing youngsters, would be a wee bit more patient with the coach. That was not to be the case. He too was fired and the door was ruthlessly slammed in his face.

Then we have the case of Muhsin Ertugral at Golden Arrows and Augusto Palacios at Orlando Pirates.  With Arrows lying in 13th position with only one win, Ertugral apparently “stepped down” last night “based on the needs of the club”, while title-winning coach Palacios recently left the hot seat at Pirates for “health reasons”.

The standard – as far as firing coaches is concerned – is so low that I am tempted to take my hat off to Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe for keeping Johan Neeskens as head coach and not pulling the trigger despite the admittedly mediocre start to the season.

Is coach Neeskens going to last the whole season?

I am of the opinion that when it comes the marathon that is a league season, it is not how you start that matters, but instead how you finish.  

I do hope that there will be more stability in the Premier Soccer League and a bit more patience shown by those in charge. It would be nice to not see any more coaches getting the boot this season but the chances of that happening or equal to the chances of Julius Malema wearing an “I Love Jacob Zuma”  t-shirt.  

It just aint gonna happen!

Thomas MOnyepao

Follow me on twitter @Tom_18Yards