Forget the welter of inconsistencies dogging the Telkom Charity Cup phone-voting system to choose the four teams for the one-day tournament. For the spectators, this competition may be a thrilling outing but in reality it signifies the start of another football season.
The question that has come to plague this tournament and South African soccer in general is how can semi-professionals give fans their money’s worth for 180 minutes in one day when they can’t dash up and down for 90 minutes in a normal premier league match? Of course all the negatives of our football are forgotten when it happens under the guise of clubs doing it for charity.
With sponsors sucking up to the soccer brand-name and administrators unable to turn away the millions of rands on offer, more meaningless fixtures are added to an already congested calendar each year.
But fans can no longer be fooled. Look at the thumbs-down the Vodacom Challenge received from Johannesburg fans. However, one of the most beautiful sights to behold is a full stadium, and the Charity Cup has become one of the few occasions when Soccer City is packed to the rafters. The prospect of a full house beckons again on Saturday.
Pirates, after missing last year’s event, duel against Sundowns in the second semifinal. This fixture may not be as mouth-watering as it appears.
Apart from having had a long domestic season that ended barely eight weeks ago, Pirates have been involved in the Confederation of African Football continental Champions League. Following their failure to qualify for the group stages, they have been integrated into the less lucrative Confederation Cup.
At the time of writing they had not played their game against Sable Batie in Cameroon. It will be difficult to bet against Sundowns taking advantage of a physically drained Pirates side.
Mining magnate Patrice Motsepe is trying to reinvent Sundowns. And there is no better platform for that than in front of a packed FNB and the millions watching on television.
Kaizer Chiefs might pass through Black Leopards like lightning in the first game. In pre-season Leopards have not been impressive. In last week’s match against Wits they did not show the kind of form that proves they are ready for the new season.