Manning Rangers are suprisingly top of the=20 League’s mid-term progress report, but=20 Chiefs look the more probable winners
SOCCER: Andrew Muchineripi
THE halfway stage in the Castle Premiership=20 arrives this weekend with unfashionable=20 Durban club Manning Rangers surprise one- point leaders from Kaizer Chiefs.
Umtata outfit Bush Bucks are third,=20 progressive Supersport United fourth and=20 Orlando Pirates fifth in the richest=20 African national championship with R500 000=20 going to the club which finishes first.=20 Sponsors Castle Lager are offering a record=20 R2 675 000 in prize money and incentives,=20 including R50 000 to the Player of the=20 Season and R35 000 to the leading scorer.
These staggering amounts virtually=20 guarantee high-level team and individual=20 performances in the coming months as clubs=20 chase rewards that would make their=20 counterparts around Africa green with envy.=20 Which club will win the league, which teams=20 are dark horses, which sides are not good=20 enough to lift the title but too good to be=20 relegated, and which clubs are staring at a=20 trap door marked relegation?=20
Here is a club-by-club guide (with league=20 position numbered) to what may happen in=20 the second round of a title race capable of=20 producing a thrilling finish.
1 Manning Rangers
The “Mighty Maulers” have overtaken Amazulu=20 as the most successful Durban club thanks=20 to a magnificent away record of eight=20 consecutive wins during which only three=20 goals were conceded.=20
Verdict: Possible rather than probable=20 champions
2 Kaizer Chiefs
The loss of leading scorer Pollen Ndlanya=20 to Turkey is a blow even if the Amakhosi=20 find the net more frequently than any other=20 club, and the impatience of success-starved=20 fans is hindering coach Walter da Silva.=20
Verdict: Among the favourites
3 Bush Bucks
Have stayed in touch with leaders despite=20 losing at home to Chiefs and Rangers.=20 Veteran goalkeeper Mark Anderson has=20 injected defensive stability and goals are=20 guaranteed with Wilfred Mugeyi around.=20
Verdict: Top-four slot a realistic goal
4 Supersport United
What a difference a name change makes.=20 Struggling Pretoria City were transformed=20 when bought by Supersport and now the=20 channel of champions are building a team of=20 champions.=20
Verdict: Same as Bucks=20
5 Orlando Pirates
Inflicted first Premiership defeat on=20 Chiefs to rekindle hopes of winning=20 championship for second time in three=20 seasons. However, the Buccaneers seem=20 better suited to winning cups than leagues.=20
Verdict: Good enough to win, but probably=20 too inconsistent
6 Cape Town Spurs
Virtually the entire team was sold after=20 1995 championship success and patient coach=20 Sergio dos Santos has performed a mini- miracle with his rebuilding programme.=20
Verdict: Top-eight material=20
7 Sundowns
Coaches come and coaches go, but the goal=20 drought continues with just one in first=20 seven away games. The return of unsettled=20 midfielder Zane Moosa would boost their=20 chances.=20
Verdict: Must find consistent scorer to=20 launch serious challenge
8 Moroka Swallows
Have won three consecutive matches after=20 disastrous start in which coaches were=20 changed with indecent haste. After the=20 departure of Mike Ntombela and Augusto=20 Palacios, co-owner Mike Mangena sits on the=20 bench and his magic wand is working.=20
Verdict: Could reach top eight
9 Hellenic
The Greek Gods are in a transition with=20 long-serving coach “Budgie” Byrne and=20 leading scorer Gerald Stober gone and new=20 boss Colin Gie experimenting with young=20 blood. Verdict: Mid-table outfit=20
10 QwaQwa Stars
Replaced one Zimbabwean coach with another=20 as Peter Nyama moved to Bloemfontein Celtic=20 and Shepherd Murape arrived from Real=20 Rovers. Capable of beating the best and=20 losing to the worst.=20
Verdict: Unlikely to move far in either=20 direction
11 AmaZulu
The lofty expectations of their fanatical=20 fans have not been fulfilled resulting in=20 coach Mike Makaab having to dodge missiles=20 on several occasions. A match for most when=20 on form, but lack killer instinct.=20
Verdict: Cannot look beyond top-eight place=20
12 Wits
A side packed with young talent and an=20 experienced goalkeeper in Perry Suckling=20 should be capable of more than four=20 victories in 16 matches and memories of=20 heroic 1995 cup exploits are fading fast.=20
Verdict: Coach John Lathan could be under=20 threat unless results improve
13 Jomo Cosmos
On paper an impressive squad, but heavy=20 home defeats by Bush Bucks and Manning=20 Rangers indicate that considerable work=20 lies ahead for owner-coach Jomo Sono if his=20 dreams are to be realised.=20
Verdict: Too good to go down=20
14 Real Rovers
Each time an obituary is written for the=20 Gladiators of the North they spring to=20 life, but struggle will continue unless=20 they collect some points outside the=20 Northern Province. Verdict: Will do well to=20 avoid relegation=20
15 Vaal Professionals
The team that matched the best in recent=20 seasons have gone off the boil and their=20 failure to collect even one away point can=20 only heighten the chain-smoking habits of=20 coach Simon “Bull” Lehoko.=20
Verdict: Good enough to survive
16 Bloemfontein Celtic
Sale of promising young midfielder Vasily=20 Sofiadellis to Greece was not good news for=20 coach Nyama, who faces an uphill battle=20 with a squad short of top-class players.=20
Verdict: Strong candidates for dreaded=20 drop.=20
17 Michau Warriors
No one said it was going to be easy, but=20 did this new, Port Elizabeth-based outfit=20 realise it was going to be so tough?=20 Created headlines by paying short-term=20 signing Mark Williams R7 000 a match.=20
Verdict: Avoiding relegation will be=20 primary goal
18 Witbank Aces
The Coal City Giants are anything but, with=20 not even one victory to celebrate. Although=20 technical advisor Steve Haupt keeps=20 promising a revival, there is more chance=20 of snow in Mpumalanga next week.=20
Verdict: Doomed!
ENDS