M&G writers predict that SuperSport will surrender the league to one of the three big teams — but which one?
Chiefs ready to strike
The Premier Soccer League, which gets under way this weekend, won’t turn into the French first division, the championship consecutively won by Lyon a record seven times. That’s my way of saying Pretoria club SuperSport United won’t win the league this season for the fourth successive time.
It invites the question: Who among Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Ajax will win the title?
Kaizer Chiefs, who finished third last season, are well poised to challenge for the title. Their coach, Serbian Vladimir Vermezovic, is cautiously optimistic: “I am now in my second season with Chiefs and am seeking an improvement on finishing third in the league and winning one cup [the Telkom Knockout] last season,” he reportedly said.
Only remarkable coaches win the league in their first season at a club. Vermezovic is a year old at Naturena and has added striker Sthembiso Ngcobo, who could score at least 15 goals, to his team.
Several times last year Chiefs drew games they could have won with a more reliable striker. Ngcobo and rookie Zimbabwean striker Knowledge Musona could provide the goals this season. The midfield is still patrolled by Tinashe Nengomashe, who almost left for Qatar, and the combative Siphiwe Tshabalala, who has been buoyed by his stellar work during the World Cup.
When Chiefs meet Golden Arrows this weekend, the match will have greater significance than that particular game.
Arrows are coached by Zoran Filipovic, once a striker at Red Star Belgrade, the bitter rival of Vermezovic’s former team, Partizan Belgrade. Defeating Arrows won’t only kickstart their season, it would be a case of Vermezovic throwing a punch at an old, hated rival. — Percy Zvomuya
Time for Sundowns to shine
The big teams — Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates — have invested in their playing staff and will seek to stop SuperSport United from running away with the league for the fourth time in a row.
Mamelodi Sundowns have spent big again, bringing in Richard Henyekane (from Golden Arrows), Nyasha Mushekwi, Method Mwanjali and Lionel Mtizwa (all from Caps United in Zimbabwe), Thapelo Tshilo (from Cosmos) and a few players from the development team.
Antonio Lopez-Habas is thus a man under pressure to deliver the title to Chloorkop, considering what happened to Hristo Stoichkov, the man he assisted last season.
Chiefs, after falling short last season, will attempt to win the league with a familiar group. Their biggest addition so far has been Sthembiso Ngcobo from Free State Stars and a number of youngsters have been promoted from the development team to supplement its playing staff.
Like Sundowns, Orlando Pirates have spent big and coach Ruud Krol has been given another chance for a shot at the big prize. He has to deliver or next year this time Pirates will have a new coach. They have brought in players Mark Mayambela, Tlou Segolela and Daine Klate.
SuperSport United should just be up there after selling some of their players and bringing in Kermit Erasmus from Feyenoord (Netherlands), the experienced Bradley Carnell from Germany and the Chiefs’ pair, Jeffrey Ntuka and Tshepo Bulu.
Mamelodi Sundowns should just manage to steal the league from their rivals because they have one of the most complete squads, boasting the skills and panache of Lebohang Mokoena, Elias Pelembe and Surprise Moriri, the finishing skills of Katlego Mphela upfront, and the power of Franklin Cale and Esrom Nyandoro in midfield. — Joe Misika
Expect a Pirates raid
SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has long mastered the art of winning the 30-game marathon league in a manner that the other 15 coaches can only envy. He has won it effortlessly over the past three seasons and it is hard to imagine what would change this season to make it impossible for him to repeat this feat.
SuperSport have started the season on a familiar note, losing another knockout cup game. Hunt probably takes that in his stride, considering this weekend the real start of the season.
Will he once again put the other coaches to shame, including those of the big three — Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns — and win? I think not.
SuperSport would do well to focus on the African Champions League, for which they have qualified, but in which they have consistently underperformed.
Mamelodi Sundowns will take time to adjust to their new coach and could also underperform this season.
But Chiefs and Pirates have strong, hungry squads and able coaches, and I suspect this is the season when their investment will come to fruition.
The league winner should come from one of them, but most likely Orlando Pirates. — Rapule Tabane