As the eagerly awaited new DStv Premiership season is getting under way tomorrow, post months of unsightly court melees between the Premier Soccer League and member clubs Royal AM alongside Sekhukhune United, Sihle Ndebele and Neville Khoza take stock of how the season will possibly pan out.
Title contenders
Mamelodi Sundowns
Sundowns have dominated the league for the last four seasons and are expected to continue this season. They’re a well-oiled machine, having also added a couple of quality signings to their depth. New signing Thabiso Kutumela can easily take pressure off Peter Shalulile. Shalulile was Downs’ go-to man in terms of goals last season, netting 15 league goals.
Kaizer Chiefs
The return of coach Stuart Baxter, the last mentor to deliver a piece of silverware at Naturena, makes Chiefs strong title contenders. Baxter rejoined Chiefs in June, having inspired the club to their last cup, the 2014/15 league title. Last season Chiefs found the going rather difficult on the domestic scene despite reaching the CAF Champions League final.
Being banned from signing players contributed to Chiefs’ domestic shortcomings last season, and now that they’ve bolstered after the ban ended, they look strong to challenge. New signings such as Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander, who previously won league titles with Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits respectively, will certainly be crucial if Chiefs are to re-establish themselves as title chasers.
Swallows
In what was their first season since their rebirth, Swallows managed to finish sixth last season. Swallows' main undoing last term was drawing too many games (20, which is a record for a team in a single campaign). The Birds coach Brandon Truter warned that they’ll play with arrogance and be fearless this season irrespective of where they’re playing.
True to Truter’s promise, Swallows played a brand of football that’s capable of sinking any side in the division when they knocked out Orlando Pirates 2-1 away in the MTN8 quarterfinals last Saturday. Swallows have beefed up their squad wisely by capturing the likes of 2018/19 Golden Boot winner Mwape Musonda and Keletso Makgalwa, among others.
Cape Town City
Since they purchased the status of Mpumalanga Black Aces in 2016, City have always shown glimpses of promise to fight for the league title. With coach Eric Tinkler — the founding mentor who inspired them to the 2016 Telkom Knockout cup and their highest ever league finish (third in the 2016/17 term) — back at the helm, the Citizens can be a threat this season. That they’ve kept the bulk of the squad that has helped them remain in the top-eight bracket in the last three seasons also gives City an edge.
Title pretenders
AmaZulu
Last season AmaZulu surprised many by being virtually the only team that challenged Sundowns. And Usuthu’s unprecedented mettle saw them finish second, qualifying for the CAF Champions League for the first time ever. Playing continental football is strenuous and can easily disrupt any team’s league ambitions... ask Chiefs. AmaZulu will need something extra special to replicate their past term’s league run, and that they recruited rejects such as Philani Zulu and Kgotso Moleko won’t help their cause in the league.
Orlando Pirates
Following the resignation of Josef Zinnbauer, Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids are currently in charge and will hope to impress. Unlike last season, Pirates didn’t sign well this time, only bringing in Bandile Shandu, Kwanda Mngonyama, Goodman Mosele and Monnapule Seleng [loaned to Swallows]. Keeping the core of last season’s squad could help Bucs with continuity, but that they’re returning to the CAF Confed Cup could as well be detrimental to their league form.
Battling it out for top-eight
SuperSport United
Since finishing 10th on the domestic top-flight table in the 1999/2000 season, SuperSport have always finished inside the top-eight and that pedigree should help them again this time around. Matsatsantsa managed to hold onto their hot properties Sipho Mbule and Teboho Mokoena, meaning they’re more or less the same team as last season where they ended in position five.
Maritzburg United
Maritzburg may have sold talisman Thabiso Kutumela to Sundowns, but under Ernst Middendorp they’re a team to watch out for. Middendorp has recently shown confidence, saying: “I don’t think Sundowns will just run away with the league like that”, showing he’s going to pull out all the stops to make sure they are competitive. Bongokuhle Hlongwane should step up to the plate and be the side’s main source of goals.
Chippa
Chippa may not have signed a lot of playing personnel this season, but the perennial strugglers could be difficult to beat under the four-time league-winning coach Gavin Hunt this term. Hunt knows his boss Siviwe Mpengesi is trigger happy and the former Chiefs coach will be cautious to put his foot wrong.
Golden Arrows
Following a successful season where they finished fourth under Ncikazi, who has since joined Pirates, Arrows will be one of the teams fighting for a top-eight finish this time. Ncikazi has laid a foundation and new coach Lehlohonolo Seema has made it clear he won’t change the way he found them playing.
TS Galaxy
After missing out on the top-eight finish through goal difference, Galaxy are determined to be one of the top-eight finishers this campaign. They have bolstered their squad well, balancing it with youth and experience. Mohammed Anas will add the firepower upfront. Coach Owen da Gama has made it clear that they want a top-eight finish this time.
Sekhukhune United
Sekhukhune have been one of the busiest teams in the transfer market, and looking at the additions they made, they are going to have a good maiden season. Players like Willard Katsande, Talent Chawapiwa and Thabo Rakhale are expected to give them the much-needed experience in the league.
Baseline boys
Royal AM
That they’ll not recruit any new players as Bloem Celtic, the club they acquired their status from, are banned by Fifa to register new players, will hurt Royal. It also remains to be seen how their previous court cases will have an impact on their preparations. Given that players from Celtic only relocated a few days before the season starts, this could also bring instability as players are trying to adjust to a new life.
Baroka
After selling Mosele to Pirates, Baroka didn’t replace him with a player of his quality. They have signed unknown players to bolster their squad. Following a good campaign where they finished 10th last season, their highest in recent seasons, they are likely to find the going tough this time. Coach Thoka Matsemela could suffer from a second season syndrome.
Marumo Gallants
Even before the season started, it is believed there is a lot of unhappiness inside the club following how they signed players, some of whom have since left without kicking the ball. After losing players like Thabo Rakhale and Alfred Ndengane, the club seems to have not done enough in the transfer market. They also failed to agree with coach Dylan Kerr for a new deal and went on to hire Sebastian Migne, and it remains to be seen if he is familiar with local football.
Stellenbosch
Stellies have not done well in the transfer window, signing inexperienced players. Losing Leletu Skelem in a swap deal that saw Maritzburg giving them Judas Moseamedi will haunt Stellies as Skelem’s agility was key to their approach last season.
Predictions
Neville’s predictions
League winners: Sundowns
MTN8: Sundowns
Nedbank Cup: Chiefs
Top-scorer: Peter Shalulile
Sihle's predictions
League winners: Sundowns
MTN8: Sundowns
Nedbank Cup: Swallows
Top-scorer: Themba Zwane
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