PSL clubs determined to finish 2019-20 season

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Apr 29, 2020. 13:00

South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs are determined to complete the 2019-20 season, even if it means the campaign only wraps up much later in the year.

This is according to a report in Kick Off, which quotes AmaZulu general manager Lunga Sokhela.

Already in Europe a major league has decided to end its season early due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the Netherlands’ Eredivisie declaring their 2019-20 campaign null and void in the wake of government orders that no public events can be held until September.

South Africa has been in a stringent lockdown since late March, but will begin to see restrictions eased in proposed phases starting from May 1.

“From our side, we have also been trying to get information [from the PSL], and I guess we have to sympathise a little bit with the guys that are running the league, because they also rely on government’s guidance,” Sokhela told reporters during a virtual press conference.

“Government also can’t give definitive answers because they are assisting people and still trying to figure out how the virus is spreading, etc. But what I can confirm is that in principle, clubs at the last BOG [board of governors meeting] said they want to continue to finish the season.

“Now we saw last week the different [lockdown] levels, and we should only really be coming back when we’re at level 1. We don’t know when that is going to be, but my understanding is that the task team is going to engage with government and see if we can go back sooner.

“As far as I understand, they’re looking at a proposal where perhaps we could start when it’s at level 3. The exact details of that are being handled by the task team, so we await that.”

Sokhela adds that there is no hard date to end the season by, revealing that the prospect of running until October is not far fetched.

“There was no cut-off date. I think the rules allow for the season to be extended in circumstances like this, and clubs have taken the stand that even if we finish in September or October, then that must be the case. We have to finish the season,” explained the AmaZulu official.