Premier Soccer League mid-season report

WHILE many predicted the usual suspects Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates to dominate the Castle Premiership in its 11th season, few would have guessed the early season success of the likes of Silver Stars, BidVest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic who have, with no little flair and enthusiasm, taken the fight to the big guns.

With the festive season break, it is Owen Da Gama’s band of merry men who have impressed most and they deservedly sit atop the Castle Premiership standings heading into the mid-season break. With a mix of talented young players and rejuvenated journeyman, Stars have formed a team who ally an intense pressing game with a slick counter-attacking style that has made them difficult opponents for all comers in the top flight.Hareaipha ‘Simba’ Marumo, who many thought was just another washed-up player wasting his talent, has been reborn under the tutelage of Da Gama and suddenly looks every inch the top class striker many thought he would never become.Should he continue his scintillating form, Marumo could well fire Stars to an unlikely league title.He has already done it in the Telkom Knockout, scoring six goals in the tournament – including a first-half hat-trick in the final – to see Stars pick up their first piece of major silverware when they defeated Ajax Cape Town’s talented youngsters in the final staged at Atteridgville’s Super Stadium.Mamelodi Sundowns sit in an ominous position and there is no doubt that the defending Castle Premiership champions possess the pedigree to claim yet another title.Although the intense pressure they are under, not least from owner Patrice Motsepe who harshly sacked co-coaches Neil Tovey and Miguel Gamondi, could be their Achilles heel.Kaizer Chiefs, after a dreadful start that saw them pick up only one win in their first eight league games, have come alive in the latter stages of 2006, picking up 16 out of a possible 18 points since losing to Bloemfontein Celtic on the 8th of November.Having already claimed the SAA Supa8 in October against SuperSport United, Chiefs’ recent form suggests they will be serious contenders in the title race and the chances of them adding to the two Castle Premiership titles they have won (2003/04 and 2004/05) look very good indeed.The same cannot be said, however, for their Soweto neighbours, Orlando Pirates, who have won just three of their first 10 league matches.The Pirates’ supporters, known as the ‘Ghost’, seem set to be short of anything to cheer about come the end of the season.Coach Milutin Sredojevic must be amongst the favourites to lose his job and the Buccaneers could well have a new man in charge come 2007.Moroka Swallows another neighbour of the ‘Amakhosi’, who many be expected to be a much-improved outfit compared to their fine season in 2005/06, have also disappointed to an extent.Although three consecutive wins just before the mid-season break has alleviated some of the pressure off of Gavin Hunt’s shoulders.The Brazilian duo of Marcos De Jesus and Danilo Julio have been the inspiration behind BidVest Wits’ lofty third place on the log.The ‘Clever Boys’ have been playing some fine football and the deadly De Jesus looks to be arguably the buy of the season on behalf of the hard-working Boebie Solomons, who has successfully seen his charges make the transition from Mvela Golden League football to the tough demands of the top flight.Bloemfontein Celtic have been similarly energetic and their struggles of last season, where they were relegation candidates, have been put well and truly behind them, as their top-five league position suggests.In mid-table, there are some talented but misfiring teams such as SuperSport United, Jomo Cosmos, Ajax Cape Town and Santos who seem set to have seasons where they will neither be troubled by the threat of relegation nor be involved in the action in the upper-reaches of the log, unless they show a remarkable change in their average form.Cosmos do possess the metronomic scoring talents of Chris Katongo, who has scored 11 goals in the Castle Premiership so far, but the rest of their team do not seem to match up to the standard of their Zambian captain.In amongst the mid-table teams sits another surprise package, Benoni Premier United.After winning just one of their first nine league games it seemed the Rabbits would be relegation candidates but a run of four consecutive wins through November and into December – one of which was against Pirates – saw the East Rand-based team shooting up the table.Down at the bottom, AmaZulu have already parted ways with Clive Barker although, apart from the evergreen Shoes Moshoeu, the veteran coach had little quality to work with and they will – barring some miraculous turn around in form – be heading for the Mvela Golden League next season.Golden Arrows may also find themselves in trouble (surprising considering they finished in the top eight last season), while Black Leopards and Maritzburg United will also feel a tad bit uncomfortable at their Christmas parties knowing that they will have a fight in their hands to retain their Castle Premiership status.PSL WebsiteWith a mix of talented young players and rejuvenated journeyman, Stars have formed a team who ally an intense pressing game with a slick counter-attacking style that has made them difficult opponents for all comers in the top flight.Hareaipha ‘Simba’ Marumo, who many thought was just another washed-up player wasting his talent, has been reborn under the tutelage of Da Gama and suddenly looks every inch the top class striker many thought he would never become.Should he continue his scintillating form, Marumo could well fire Stars to an unlikely league title.He has already done it in the Telkom Knockout, scoring six goals in the tournament – including a first-half hat-trick in the final – to see Stars pick up their first piece of major silverware when they defeated Ajax Cape Town’s talented youngsters in the final staged at Atteridgville’s Super Stadium.Mamelodi Sundowns sit in an ominous position and there is no doubt that the defending Castle Premiership champions possess the pedigree to claim yet another title.Although the intense pressure they are under, not least from owner Patrice Motsepe who harshly sacked co-coaches Neil Tovey and Miguel Gamondi, could be their Achilles heel.Kaizer Chiefs, after a dreadful start that saw them pick up only one win in their first eight league games, have come alive in the latter stages of 2006, picking up 16 out of a possible 18 points since losing to Bloemfontein Celtic on the 8th of November.Having already claimed the SAA Supa8 in October against SuperSport United, Chiefs’ recent form suggests they will be serious contenders in the title race and the chances of them adding to the two Castle Premiership titles they have won (2003/04 and 2004/05) look very good indeed.The same cannot be said, however, for their Soweto neighbours, Orlando Pirates, who have won just three of their first 10 league matches.The Pirates’ supporters, known as the ‘Ghost’, seem set to be short of anything to cheer about come the end of the season.Coach Milutin Sredojevic must be amongst the favourites to lose his job and the Buccaneers could well have a new man in charge come 2007.Moroka Swallows another neighbour of the ‘Amakhosi’, who many be expected to be a much-improved outfit compared to their fine season in 2005/06, have also disappointed to an extent.Although three consecutive wins just before the mid-season break has alleviated some of the pressure off of Gavin Hunt’s shoulders.The Brazilian duo of Marcos De Jesus and Danilo Julio have been the inspiration behind BidVest Wits’ lofty third place on the log.The ‘Clever Boys’ have been playing some fine football and the deadly De Jesus looks to be arguably the buy of the season on behalf of the hard-working Boebie Solomons, who has successfully seen his charges make the transition from Mvela Golden League football to the tough demands of the top flight.Bloemfontein Celtic have been similarly energetic and their struggles of last season, where they were relegation candidates, have been put well and truly behind them, as their top-five league position suggests.In mid-table, there are some talented but misfiring teams such as SuperSport United, Jomo Cosmos, Ajax Cape Town and Santos who seem set to have seasons where they will neither be troubled by the threat of relegation nor be involved in the action in the upper-reaches of the log, unless they show a remarkable change in their average form.Cosmos do possess the metronomic scoring talents of Chris Katongo, who has scored 11 goals in the Castle Premiership so far, but the rest of their team do not seem to match up to the standard of their Zambian captain.In amongst the mid-table teams sits another surprise package, Benoni Premier United.After winning just one of their first nine league games it seemed the Rabbits would be relegation candidates but a run of four consecutive wins through November and into December – one of which was against Pirates – saw the East Rand-based team shooting up the table.Down at the bottom, AmaZulu have already parted ways with Clive Barker although, apart from the evergreen Shoes Moshoeu, the veteran coach had little quality to work with and they will – barring some miraculous turn around in form – be heading for the Mvela Golden League next season.Golden Arrows may also find themselves in trouble (surprising considering they finished in the top eight last season), while Black Leopards and Maritzburg United will also feel a tad bit uncomfortable at their Christmas parties knowing that they will have a fight in their hands to retain their Castle Premiership status.PSL Website