THE PSL’S BIO-BUBBLE THE INSIDE STORY

INSIDE THE PSL’S PSL’S BIO-BUBBLE

BY ZAAHID NANABHAY

The Premier Soccer League returned on the 8th of August 2020 after a five-month long absence in Gauteng’s bio-bubble. All 16 top flight teams were handed temporary homes in Gauteng for five weeks, each with the hope of completing the COVID-19 disrupted season.

There was still a lot to play for heading into the bio-bubble with the Champions and relegation zone spots far from being sealed, while vital top-8 spots were far from secured. Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns headed to Gauteng as the front-runners in the title chase. However Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits and Maritzburg United were all in with a shout with approximately seven games left to play for each side.

As far as the relegation battle was concerned, the remaining 10 teams were all mathematically relegation candidates with Black Leopards, AmaZulu, Baroka FC and Polokwane City emerging as the favourites to face the dreaded drop.

Nedbank Cup Resumption

Action in the PSL’s bio-bubble got underway with the semi-final round of the 2020 Nedbank Cup. Bloemfontein Celtic comfortably overcame Baroka FC in their semi-final while Mamelodi Sundowns earned a last gasp victory over Bidvest Wits in a five goal thriller. The Nedbank Cup final is set to take place on the 9th of September.

Absa Premiership resumption

After three weeks of full contact training, Absa Premiership teams were officially back in action on the 12th of August 2020 after the lengthy hiatus. Teams with larger squads were expected to hit the ground running during the hectic revised schedule but not many could have predicted what was to come.

After reaching match-day 28, at the time of writing, the league’s top six had shockingly accumulated just 41 out of a possible 99 points in the bio-bubble. The league’s two Western Cape teams have emerged as the strongest competitors in the league with Cape Town City acquiring 12 out a possible 15 points, their only loss coming against their neighbours Stellenbosch.

Stellenbosch on the other hand have picked up 8 out of 12 possible points while Baroka FC and AmaZulu have also picked up 8 points each. Golden Arrows have suffered a torrid time in Gauteng’s bio-bubble, the Durban outfit have picked up just a solitary point.

The front runners

Despite picking up just 5 out of 18 points, Kaizer Chiefs remain as

the league’s log leaders heading into the final two weekends. Their closest rivals Mamelodi Sundowns are equal with the Amakhosi on points but sit in second place due to an inferior goal difference.

Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United are both mathematically still in the league’s title race with two games to go, however Orlando Pirates and Maritzburg United can finish in third place at best.

Who wants it most?

Kaizer Chiefs last won the Absa Premiership title in 2015. Their five year long drought will definitely have management, coaches, players and fans on edge ahead of the dramatic end to the current campaign. Unlike Kaizer Chiefs, Pitso Mosimane’s Sundowns are going for a fourth title in five years. This season will also see a new record being broken, both Mamelodi

Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs are tied on 12 league titles apiece.

What’s it worth?

This season will see a record increase in prize money. The Premier Soccer League announced a massive increase in the prize-money for the Absa Premiership for the current campaign with the winners to pocket 50% more in the form of a R15-million pay-day. The amount is an increase from R10-million, which had been the figure teams walked away with for the last decade.

The runners-up in will take home R7.5-million in prize-money, while third place bags R3.75-million. The team that finishes bottom of the league will only enjoy a R440 000 pay-day. The total prize-money for the league has been increased from R29.5- million to R39.9-million, a jump of 35 percent from the last season.

ABSA Premiership prize money broken down

1st - R15-million 2nd - R7.5-million 3rd - R3.75-million 4th - R2.5-million 5th - R1.8-million 6th - R1.56-million 7th - R1.32-million 8th - R1.2-million 9th - R885 000 10th - R825 000 11th - R750 000 12th - R690 000 13th - R620 000 14th - R565 000 15th - R495 000 16th - R440 000

Next season may very well see a change in prize money with Absa pulling out of the sponsorship of the league. While it remains to be seen who the new sponsor is, the prize money may very well

be cut down making the current campaign all the more lucrative.

What are the coaches saying?

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane has opened up about the immense pressure being felt in the PSL’s bio-bubble ahead of the remaining two match days.

“Our job is pressure. As coaches, we are trained to be professionals. We are trained to take the pressure, and in our profession there is always pressure. There is always an expectation and everybody’s opinion. One day you are loved and day you are not,” he says.

“I like to look back and say to whoever said we cannot make it ‘look at us now’. Pressure and criticism, it’s okay. If you don’t want to be criticised, don’t be a coach. If you don’t want to be criticized, don’t be a football player. It’s your life. It’s an everyday story.”

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp believes life in the PSL’s bio-bubble is all about mental strength. Teams have been playing every three to four days for the last four weeks and Middendorp believes it’s now the battle of the strongest minds.

“Our preparations have been more mental than physical. In terms of us recouping‚ rejuvenating and tuning the mind into a positive

THIS SEASON WILL SEE A RECORD INCREASE IN PRIZE MONEY.

approach to the next match‚ our preparations have been going well,” Middendorp said.

“We are happy that everyone is on the same page. Everyone is looking forward to win‚ which is the most important thing we have to do, and so far so good. We will see what happens on the field of play against Chippa but we are going to give 120 percent.”

Bidvest Wits head coach Gavin Hunt claims coaching is a lonely path and more so inside the PSL’s bio-bubble, while sympathizing with Kaizer Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp.

“In this profession, you are very lonely when you don’t win. When you are winning its fine everybody loves you. Being in the bubble means there’s nothing to take your mind off losing,” comments Hunt.

“When you lose a game in the 94 minutes it is not easy to handle but as I said, they got enough experience to be calm. I wish everybody well but it doesn’t affect the personal relationship. I will still greet him. But people always think it is easy to win titles. Believe me, I’ve been there and it is very difficult, especially the last few games.”

Most clean sheets in the PSL

Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United) - 13 clean sheets Richard Ofori (Maritzburg United) - 12 clean sheets

Veli Mothwa (Chippa United) - 10 clean sheets Wayne Sandilands (Orlando Pirates) - 10 clean sheets Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs) - 10 clean sheets Ricardo Goss (Bidvest Wits) - 9 clean sheets Elvis Chipezeze (Baroka FC) - 9 clean sheets

PSL Top Goal Scorers

Gabadinho Mhango (Orlando Pirates) - 14 goals Peter Shalulie (Highlands Park) - 14 goals Samir Nurkovic (Kaizer Chiefs) - 13 goals Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United) - 13 goals Knox Mutizwa (Golden Arrows) - 13 goals Bongi Ntuli (AmaZulu FC) - 13 goals Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City) - 12 goals Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns) - 10 goals Ndumiso Mabena (Bloemfontein Celtic) - 9 goals

Mwape Musonda (Black Leopards) - 8 goals

Waseem Isaacs (Stellebosch FC) - 8 goals

PSL bio-bubble results in full

Mamelodi Sundowns 0 - 0 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs 1 - 1 Bidvest Wits Chippa United 0 - 1 Cape Town City Highlands Park 1 - 1 Mamelodi Sundowns

KAIZER CHIEFS HEAD COACH ERNST MIDDENDORP BELIEVES LIFE IN THE PSL’S BIO-BUBBLE IS ALL ABOUT MENTAL STRENGTH.

Stellenbosch 1 - 0 Golden Arrows AmaZulu 0 - 0 Baroka Polokwane City 2 - 3 Kaizer Chiefs Orlando Pirates 0 - 0 Bidvest Wits Black Leopards 3 - 2 Maritzburg United SuperSport United 1 - 1 Bloemfontein Celtic Cape Town City 3 - 2 Mamelodi Sundowns Chippa United 0 - 0 Highlands Park Bidvest Wits 0 - 0 Golden Arrows Orlando Pirates 1 - 1 Baroka SuperSport United 2 - 0 Polokwane City Bloemfontein Celtic 3 - 1 Kaizer Chiefs Stellenbosch 1 - 0 Cape Town City Golden Arrows 1 - 2 Black Leopards Bidvest Wits 2 - 1 AmaZulu

Maritzburg United 2 - 2 Mamelodi Sundowns Polokwane City 1 - 1 Highlands Park Baroka 0 - 1 Chippa United Cape Town City 1 - 0 Orlando Pirates Kaizer Chiefs 1 - 1 Stellenbosch AmaZulu 2 - 2 Bloemfontein Celtic Maritzburg United 0 - 0 Bidvest Wits Mamelodi Sundowns 1 - 0 Golden Arrows Black Leopards 0 - 1 SuperSport United Bloemfontein Celtic 1 - 1 Bidvest Wits Kaizer Chiefs 0 - 1 Mamelodi Sundowns Stellenbosch 1 - 1 Chippa United Orlando Pirates 2 - 1 SuperSport United Highlands Park 1 - 1 Maritzburg United AmaZulu 1 - 0 Black Leopards Golden Arrows 1 - 4 Cape Town City Bloemfontein Celtic 0 - 0 Polokwane City Bidvest Wits 1 - 0 Kaizer Chiefs Mamelodi Sundowns 0 - 1 Baroka

Match day 29 fixtures

Polokwane City vs Mamelodi Sundown Kaizer Chiefs vs Chippa United Highlands Park vs Cape Town City Maritzburg United vs Orlando Pirates SuperSport United vs Baroka FC Golden Arrows vs Bloemfontein Celtic Bidvest Wits vs Black Leopards Stellenbosch vs AmaZulu

Match day 30 fixtures

AmaZulu vs Highlands Park Baroka vs Kaizer Chiefs Bloemfontein Celtic vs Maritzburg United Bidvest Wits vs Polokwane City Cape Town City vs SuperSport United Chippa United vs Golden Arrows Mamelodi Sundowns vs Black Leopards Orlando Pirates vs Stellebosch

The 2020/21 season will kick-off on the 8th of October while the transfer window to accompany the new season will open on 22 September and will run for eight weeks until 17 November. The revised dates for the January, otherwise known as mid-season, transfer window have also shifted by a month from February 1 to 28.

It remains to be seen whether the new season will take place in the bio-bubble with PSL president Irvin Khoza claiming a decision is yet to be take. “The bubble is an expensive thing to have, that’s why we said that the application of the BSE is going to assist us as to whether it will be a template for the future or not.” Khoza said.

“For now we can’t say anything because we don’t know what the government is figuring out in terms of the [lockdown] levels or the sensitivity and severity of the pandemic. We will wait and see at that particular time in October and come up with a strategy to mitigate whatever has been presented to us, for us to go forward and continue with the games.” Ù