GOALLESS BORE: The TRUTH about the Soweto Derby: time to tell it like it is, South Africa

No goals: Baxter and Pirates caretaker Tinkler

THERE are two distinct approaches to South African football. That much was clear on Sunday morning when the newspapers dropped and we were able to truly assess the damage done to our game by yet another dreadful Soweto derby.

On the one hand we had Timothy Molobi in the City Press assuring us: “What a classic game! What a draw! Even though the match ended with zeroes on the board, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters would have left the stadium a happy lot after what they saw on the pitch.”

Then, in both the Sunday World and the beneath the agonising cricket headlines in the Sunday Times, Tshepang Mailwane revealed the TRUTH: “Stuart Baxter and Eric Tinkler were not playing to win. This is why the Soweto Derby is no longer the entertaining clash it used to be.”


My quote of the day came from Baxter, who assured us: "This was the best derby the crowd will see in a long time. It was great for spectators. Transition after transition." 

But Stuart, 90,000 people don't go to a crunch battle of arch-rivals to see your bloody transitions. They go to see good attacking football, shots on target... and goals.



Anybody who actually appreciates football – and increasingly we get our fix from Spain, England and Germany where teams actually use strikers and play to win – knows that the greatest problem our game faces comes because so many people refuse to tell the truth even when it is staring them in the goalmouth.

Astute analysts know that Baxter, like our national coach Shakes Mashaba and his predecessors Gordon Igesund and Pitso Mosimane, are not the sharpest tacticians in the world. If they were, they’d probably work where their word is law and they can make their own decisions.

Instead, we live in fantasy football world where coaches turn up to find their latest signing is injured and unknown to them. In a world where the greasy palms of agents are more important than encouraging young talent or satisfying the fans. Where players move between Platinum Stars and Orlando Pirates without transfer fees, without argument.

This week, Kaizer Chiefs – 11 points clear in the PSL – will play Maritzburg United tomorrow night in front of a few thousands at the Harry Gwala Stadium. The chasing group - Wits, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates – are also in action, attempting to keep the title chase alive in front of diminishing crowds.

Though Lux September and the PSL desperately attempt to keep it quiet, our shiny “best professional football league on the continent” is about to slip under 6,000 in terms of average attendances for the first time.

There may even be moments of real footballing excitement for the few who actually go to the stadium this week – Wits are at Amazulu and Chippa United travel to the Orlando Stadium tonight, both fascinating encounters – but for as long as we pretend our game is fit, healthy and thriving, South African football will struggle to catch up with the rest of the continent, let alone the world.

We have to accept both Baxter and Tinkler – still only a caretaker at Pirates despite a ten-game unbeaten run – were simply avoiding defeat rather than playing to win on Saturday. Chiefs barely bother to field a striker these days and never quite tell us why David Zulu and Katlego Mphela don’t feature more regularly.

Internationally, after the empty promises about Argentina, Bafana Bafana face Nigeria on March 29 with SAFA President Danny Jordaan telling us May Mahlangu, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Thulani Serero will all be considered for selection. But nobody has really explained why they didn’t play a part in a pointless Afcon 2015.

Politically, we have smug football writers decrying CAF president Issa Hayatou for being too old at 68 to continue to run an organisation he has dominated since 1988. Yet our own Irvin Khoza is 67 and has ruled our game with an iron fist since the early 1990s. And nobody quite knows how he manages it.

There are simply too many unanswered questions.  Too many half-truths and blatant lies. It starts with match reports and crowd figures. It ends with analysts being silenced and coaches being sidelined for telling the truth.

If you see the Soweto Derby as a fantastic game which entertained 90,000 people on Saturday, then I guess you think Mamelodi Sundowns will trounce TP Mazembe and Kaizer Chiefs will stuff Raja Casablanca in the next round of the African Champions League.

And you’d be the kind of person who honestly believes Bafana were just unlucky at Afcon, that goalkeepers are SUPPOSED to be changed every game and our most talented players are SUPPOSED to stand in line behind journeymen who barely get a regular game for their PSL clubs.

Surely, it’s time to tell it like it is?

MARCH 7: THE SOWETO DERBY LOOMS Chiefs are no longer unbeaten and Pirates have a Major headache

SEEING RED: Majoro's colleagues step in to calm the situation

THERE will be many major debates before PSL leaders Kaizer Chiefs face arch-rivals Orlando Pirates at Soccer City on March 7. But no pre-Soweto Derby argument is as important as the Majoro debate.

With their unbeaten run halted by SuperSport United last Tuesday night, Stuart Baxter will be relieved to see his side crush minnows Edu Sport 4-0 in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday with Siphelele Mthembu scoring a hat-trick of headers and Hendrick Eckstein an instant hit after coming on as a substitute.

Orlando Pirates did much the same thing to Tornado FC in the Nedbank Cup last week, conjuring an emphatic 4-0 win as expected with all the big guns drawn at home (what were the odds?) for the opening round.

Chiefs, bruised by the 2-0 defeat inflicted by Gordon Igesund’s tough guys, have got to go to Botswana at the weekend with the far-too-narrow 2-1 lead over Gaborone’s Township Rollers to defend. The Buccaneers have got Polokwane City in the PSL.

Then, on March 4, Chiefs have got Ajax Cape Town and Pirates are at Free State Stars with the demolition derby looming.

By then we should have a clearer picture of how things are panning out for South Africa’s big two. Can the Chiefs runaway train get back on track? Will Itumeleng Khune be fit after what he described as a “minor injury” sustained when colliding with his own defender Morgan Gould on Saturday? Will Killer Mphela be fit to start?

And in the black-and-white corner will Kermit Erasmus be forgiven by caretaker coach Eric Tinkler for his tantrum after being substituted against Tornado? Will Brighton Mhlongo keep his place in goal?

But perhaps the most intriguing question of all surrounds former Chiefs striker Lehlohonolo Majoro, the man Stuart Baxter used to call “The Major”.

Majoro left Chiefs for SuperSport United – they even announced it on their website – before agent Tim Sukazi saw his carefully laid plans scuppered by Pirates, who swooped for the former AmaZulu striker amid threats of legal action.

Majoro, though not selected by Bafana Bafana for AFCON 2015, is probably the most lethal striker in South Africa. Particularly when he is in tandem with Erasmus.

But there is one nagging problem. After scoring against Platinum Stars on February 16, Majoro lost it. Out of the blue, in the 62^nd minute, he deliberately shoved his boot in to the floored body of Dikwena’s Mahlatsi Makudubela. A deliberate, blatant stamp.

Rightly red carded for his violent conduct, Majoro then blew his top and had to be wrestled off the pitch by his team-mates, with Siya Sangweni deserving credit for keeping his pal away from REAL trouble.

Tinkler said at the time: “I didn’t clearly see what Majoro did, but I watched the footage on TV. I’m very disappointed with his behaviour but after the game he came back to the pitch and apologise to his team-mates and the opposition team.

“It’s good that he came to his senses and realise his mistake but as a technical team we are still going to assess the matter and see a way forward. But his behaviour was really uncalled for.”

On twitter, @ballojoro apologised to his team-mates, the opposition and football generally for his behaviour. He also said THIS on the club's website:

“I know what I did was wrong. I acted out of anger and lost sight of what was important, which is my teammates and the Orlando Pirates brand. The referee acted accordingly because I deserved the red card and I would like to apologise to the Orlando Pirates supporters and the entire football fraternity for my actions. I’m better than that, and they deserve better than that; I promise not to do it again.

“I especially want to extend my apology to my colleague Mahlatse. As professional footballers we should treat each other with respect and always set an example. I went to apologise to him immediately after the match because I realised the error of my ways and I had to tell him man to man that I was wrong.”

Which is all well and good. But in Europe, a red card of this nature merits a further disciplinary hearing. The stamp constitutes “violent conduct” and an automatic three-match ban. The tantrum after his red card constitutes “bringing the game in to disrepute” and further action. A disciplinary hearing would be mandatory.

Yet we have heard nothing from the South African Football Association, despite repeated queries. Majoro is currently serving the routine two-match ban, having missed the Tornado game with Polokwane City and Free State Stars to come.

But with the Soweto Derby around the corner, surely Majoro’s situation must be looked at? Has SAFA’s displinary committee even looked at the incident? Can we allow such behaviour to go unpunished?

I guess the answer to that has to be YES. The apology was great but it cannot hide the loss of control. There should be a hearing. I just hope it doesn’t depend on which team you play for.

South Africa's Vieira: Legohonolo Maselesa on the African Champions League, his first Soweto derby, Turfloop and keeping his feet on the ground

South Africa's Vieira: Legohonolo Maselesa

Legohonolo Maselesa is not your ordinary 20-year-old. The former South African Under 17 captain is rapidly proving that as he settles in to the Orlando Pirates squad with uncommon calm.

Forced to replace Andile Jali early in the Buccaneers’ 3-0 win against Egyptian giants Zamalek last Saturday, his coach Roger de Sa said simply: “Maselesa looked like he’d been playing in the African Champions League all his life.”

Now Maselesa faces his first Soweto derby – the MTN8 semi-final against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday is getting close to a sell-out – insisting he is ready for the 90,000 baying fans.

Perhaps better known as Vieira – after the former France World Cup winning midfielder Patrick – Maselesa explains: “I was playing for an academy in Joburg, Afrika Sports, when they started calling me Vieira. I was 12 at the time, back in 2004. Every since then, I’ve been Vieira.

“As a footballer you have to be prepared to come on at any moment. When Andile went down injured, I can’t really say I was nervous, there was the TP Mazembe game, that may have been harder than Zamalek!”

So is he living the dream following his move from Bidvest Wits last year? “I can’t really say that this is the dream, I still hope things get better from here! Obviously, as a young boy it IS a dream to play for Pirates, it doesn’t happen to everyone. For me to be here is an honour, a privilege.

“But I can’t say I’ve arrived, I still have to push myself.”

And playing for De Sa? “Roger for me, because I worked with him before at Wits, is everything in one. I’m not trying to say things that he’s not. But he can be that leader, put the foot down. But when it’s time to joke around he can do that too.

“He’s all in one, serious guy, funny guy, all in one.”

In a football world where coaches are fiercely protective of their young stars – Sir Alex Ferguson never let Ryan Giggs or David Beckham near a microphone until they were in their mid-20s – “Vieira” is able to give us a unique glimpse in to the pressures of breaking in to the professional ranks.

When I asked about the pressure, the problems of super-stardom, his answer was spot on.

“I come from a very humble background, it’s easy to keep my feet on the ground. I have people around me who criticise me a lot. They give me a call and give me a bit of stick for my performances!

“It’s never like I get good reviews. People might say I’m playing well but when I get home it’s a different story, the people who really matter and give me advice, never tell me I’m the finished article.

“To be honest I feel amazing. It’s not every child who gets to play for Pirates and for me that’s no pressure. Every day I learn different things, I learn and I play better.

“I’m from Turfloop near Polokwane – I don’t know who said I was from Alexandra. I’d like to believe most great footballers come from Limpopo! There is a huge amount of talent coming from the north.

“I’m not a physio, I can’t tell you if Andile Jali will be fit for Saturday. But this will be my first Soweto derby. If it happens, I’ll be willing to give my best and hopefully, to earn a good result. But anything can happen!

“My biggest crowd before this was 50,000 when we played Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final in 2011 and lost 3-1. This will be my biggest crowd ever.

So how will the huge gathering affect him? Can he shut it out or will it inspire? “I played then and only about 1,000 of the crowd were supporting Wits, this time about half of them will be supporting me, at the stadium and millions on the television. I can only get fired up you know!”

 BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. The full interview is on video below.

You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za. 

BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!

Baxter to the future: why champions Kaizer Chiefs should consider doing a Sir Alex Ferguson

Cup-lifting: Chiefs have had the upper hand this season

IF Kaizer Chiefs were to do the unthinkable and LOSE 1-0 to SuperSport United tomorrow night, the PSL title would still be in the balance.

Then, IF the mighty AmaKhosi were to lose 1-0 to AmaTuks on Saturday, and IF Platinum Stars crush SuperSport by say, 9-0 in their final League game, the side from Phokeng would actually lift the title by a single goal.

Those aren’t just three mighty improbable IFS. In footballing teams, for all three of those results to come to pass is, of course, impossible.

The truth is, Stuart Baxter has achieved what no other foreign coach has managed in the history of the PSL. The man from Wolverhampton has won the league title at his first attempt.

It hasn’t always been pretty, it’s had a lot to do with the failure of his rivals – Roger de Sa’s Orlando Pirates have been mis-firing since the African Cup of Nations (when Ironman Siya Sangweni got injured) and Cavin Johnson’s  Stars somehow contrived to lose to 2-1 to Golden Arrows on Saturday.

No doubt, in his title-winning speech tonight, Baxter will mention “transitions” and “pride” before finally being able to write the words “championship” on his much-debated CV.

Good on him. Baxter arrived to replace the no-nonsense Vladimir Vermecovic after a brief spell where the AmaKhosi were coached by a bunch of trusted former players.

Few expected the former Bafana coach to achieve what Chiefs haven’t since 2005. But the signings of Tower Mathoho and Morgan Gould – between injuries – certainly helped. Bernard Parker’s burst of four goals in the opening game against AmaZulu saw him and his side stay ahead of the bunch all season.

But the unquestionable star of the AmaKhosi’s reclaiming of this lady Gloria was one Itumeleng Khune. The One. Consistently near-perfect in his shot-stopping and distribution, the Bafana goalkeeper starred for his nation in Afcon and – apart from a Vampire-like fear of crosses and a couple of glitches against Ajax Cape Town down the closing stretch – he has been responsible for the riiiiiiise of the Zebras.

When Khune went AWOL for much of last season, the damage was always apparent.

For the crocodiles from the North West there can be only a toothless smile of “what might have been” as Johnson’s Dikwena finish closest in the League and accept extra-time elimination from the Nedbank Cup at the semi-final hurdle against Gavin Hunt’s stubborn SSU.

It’s Orlando Pirates who must harbour the deeper sense of grievance. Shock defeats against Chippa-Choppa United and Mamelodi Sundowns after the “Drawlando” stretch of six stalemates leaves coach Roger de Sa with the African Champions League as his only, distant hope.

Judging from the SMSes that fly between us, I’d say Roger is only a step short of the Sea Robbers’ plank. Shakes Mashaba is touting himself as a replacement, but I suspect Irvin Khoza is thinking big with former AFCON winners Herve Renard of Zambia and Nigeria’s flighty Steve Keshi on a long short list.

Manchester United fans were signing “We’ve got the title back, and Mancini’s got the sack” against Swansea on Sunday. Chiefs fans might be excused for inserting De Sa’s name in to that catchy little number tomorrow night. As far as he knows, Roger remains employed, insisting: "I've got a three-year contract, you can see it if you want."

So after their inevitable crowning at Polokwane or Mbombela this week, the Zebras move on to the double, where the Hunt – it’s always him – stands against the mighty AmaKhosi in the Nedbank Cup final on May 25.

Few doubt Chiefs, and their patient following of a reputed 15million, are serious favourites to add the pre-eminent knock-out trophy to their league title. And for that Baxter – and Khune – must take the plaudits.

Unexpected? A little. Deserved? Yes, though they needed a little prompting from their rivals.

The question now is: can Baxter build a legacy, a tradition? Like Sir Alex at United, Chiefs deserve – need – a long-running coach. One who can pull the club together from bottom to top.

Is Baxter that man? Will De Sa and the rapidly rising Pitso Mosimane at Mamelodi Sundowns get the chance to do the same with a full season in charge? We'll soon find out. 

A story similar to this will appear as my "Neal and Pray" column in The New Age tomorrow.

KAIZER CHIEFS 0-0 ORLANDO PIRATES: It's nearly time to accept: Stuart Baxter is worthy

Top of the pile: Stuart Baxter

It’s all very well turning to club PROs and talking heads when you discuss the Soweto derby. But after Saturday’s goalless efforts in front of over 90,000 at Soccer City, you need a man of experience to explain what appears to be a footballing train smash in front of the biggest sporting crowd in the world last weekend.

Gavin Hunt, Mark Fish, Doc Khumalo, Roger De Sa, Clive Barker. They are such men. So too is Stuart Baxter, the coach roundly written off when he arrived, indirectly, to replace the unlamented Brazilian Julio Leal at the helm of the best-supported club in South Africa.

Before the greatest derby in Africa, we had Vina Maphosa, spokesman of Kaizer Chiefs, taking on Mickey Modisane of Orlando Pirates. It was great. We upset Vina earlier in the week by revealing his AmaKhosi had appointed a new acting Managing Director without telling us. Goodnews Cadogan had jumped the gun by revealing his new-found status on Facebook.

On Friday we caught Mickey too – we had a recording of Roger de Sa telling Udo Carelse on 702’s SportsTalk on Thursday night: “Benni McCarthy is just not fit, he can barely kick a ball.” But on Friday morning the official Orlando Pirates website quoted Benni saying he was fit and raring to go for the derby, and that it was just up to the technical team to select him.

Poor old Mickey.  Which was the truth? How could the Buccaneers not spot the contradiction? “I haven’t seen the medical reports,” he complained, “What the coach says is right… and so is Benni.”

Confused? We were.

So when it comes to analysing the game itself, a goalless affair marked by spectacular saves at both ends and what looked to me like a stonewall penalty to the Pirates, you have to turn to THE MAN WHO KNOWS.

That man was born in Wolverhampton, England, 59 years ago, spent an unspectacular year in charge of Bafana eight  years ago and was questioned about the validity of his CV when he returned to South Africa this season.

Now five points clear of his arch-rivals at the top of the PSL, Baxter is on the verge of proving the critics wrong, of celebrating that long-awaited championship with the Amakhosi.

This is Stuart Baxter’s summary of what we ACTUALLY SAW rather than an hysterical reaction to a goalless stalemate: “I'd have liked a better quality game, especially when it comes to passing. But the players worked very hard.

“I've never seen so many good players giving the ball away. The passing game on both sides was erratic. I think that's why it was more end to end, because the transitions (Baxter’s favourite word) were giving each other opportunities.”

“If you take any big derby, Manchester or Milan, they rarely justice do the size of the event. There were nerves out there. I've seen very few really good derby games. Usually they're blood and thunder. I don't think this one really took off.

“I know everybody asks, when we play and Pirates play, if we are sitting glued to the TV, and hoping they're going to lose. I have to say, I don't want any of our players to have that attitude. We don't become a better team if Pirates lose.

"We become a better team if we work hard at our own game, and we become an over-optimistic team sometimes if they lose or drop points.

"It's the same for us. They don't suddenly become 10 classes better if we concede two goals.”

On Kickoff.com, Baxter confessed: “I was quite happy with the first 20 minutes, we got into the game and we settled but we were not creating as many chances as we would like. Pirates took over in the last 15 minutes of the first half, because when we had the ball we gave it back to them.

"I was concerned when we went in at half-time. My team talk was obviously useless because we did the same in the next 15 minutes after half-time. But then for some reason, the lads pulled together and got better defensively.

"If you ask me if we were unlucky (not to get the winner) I don't know. We had a couple of chances towards the finish and their keeper Senzo Meyiwa came up trumps.

“I agree with Roger that it wasn't the best of games in the world.”

WILL UPDATE THIS WITH STUART BAXTER QUOTES FROM TONIGHT'S INTERVIEW!

Collins Mbesuma: The former Chief who saved Pirates when they needed it most

Double trouble: Collins Mbesuma has scored twice, twice

“It’s not going to be easy because Orlando Pirates have good strikers. But I will do my best.”

Those were the words uttered by Collins Mbesuma when he signed on the dotted line for Dr Irvin Khoza on August 15, 2012, a full seven years after leaving the employ of the Iron Duke’s arch-rival Kaizer Motaung.

A quick refresher course: way back in 2004/2005 Mbesuma – then barely out of his teens - scored a record 39 goals in all competitions to help Ted Dumitru’s Amakhosi pip the Bucs to the PSL title. The lad from Luanshya was hailed as the next big thing to come out of Africa.

But the European dream didn’t quite work out. Mbesuma, though wanted by Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers, chose a notoriously dodgy transfer to Portsmouth, where he played just four games before things fell apart at Fratton Park.

That was followed by a loan move to Portugal’s Maritimo and an unhappy spell with Bursaspor in Turkey, where his time-keeping was called in to question amid a welter of suspensions.

Mbesuma returned to South Africa in 2008 and tried his hand with Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka Swallows before finding his feet again at Golden Arrows in Lamontville, where he played 43 games and scored 18 goals to attract the attention of Dr Khoza and his man with the cheque book, Screamer Tshabalala.

Nobody expected much from the experienced feet (and head) of the 28-year-old Zambian, who played only a minor role in his nation’s historic African Cup of Nations triumph last year.

Mbesuma’s best days were behind him, we were told. And they came in the gold-an-black half of Soweto. In that emotional Zambian AFCON triumph last year, Mbesuma played a total of 42 minutes, he was written off as past it and lacking commitment.

He arrived at Pirates as Augusto Palacios’s final signing, saying: “I will just have to prove myself. I want to be successful with Pirates and win things with them. I think I need competition and I know Pirates is a big team so I just want to compete.”

Compete? He’s done more than that. A lot more. With Tokelo Rantie inexplicably allowed to slip away and Takesure Chinayama and Benni McCarthy injured, Mbesuma has proved the unlikely saviour for the new Bucs coaching duo of Roger de Sa and Eric Tinkler.

When they needed inspiration while trailing promoted upstarts AmaTuks 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld a fortnight ago, it was Mbesuma who provided the goals either side of Andile Jali’s penalty to seal a much-needed 3-1 PSL victory against the unbeaten students.

And when they came up against lively Leopards in the Telkom Knock-out on Saturday, there he was again, striking both goals in a 2-0 triumph which left most people raving about the form of Lehlogonolo “Vieira” Masalesa and Sifiso Myeni, both De Sa products from his Clever Boys days.

Yes, De Sa can claim some credit for his former Witsies, but without Mbesuma’s goals, where exactly would Pirates be right now?

With last season’s top-scorer McCarthy approaching fitness and Chinyama also due to return, De Sa has only praise for Mbesuma’s unexpected revival: "I have never doubted Mbesuma's scoring abilities. We are working on improving his fitness and he is making progress. He is showing a lot of commitment and has been doing a lot of work after training."

Mbesuma bubbles: “I must thank Irvin Khoza for giving me a chance to play for Pirates when most of the experts were doubting my ability.

“I feel I have regained my old confidence and I am playing alongside players who can make my job easier, it makes me proud to play for Pirates.”

Question is: with Mbesuma scoring four goals in two games – and another in a friendly during the international break – will there be room anybody else against AmaZulu on Sunday?

A shortened version of this story appeared as my Neal & Pray column in The New Age newspaper today. See www.thenewage.co.za every Tuesday...

Music to the Iron Duke's ears: Benni McCarthy ready to work with new Orlando Pirates boss Roger de Sa

Big job: Roger de Sa, the new Orlando Pirates boss

Benni McCarthy’s response to the Roger de Sa appointment was exactly what chairman Irvin Khoza would have hoped for.

He replied to my twittered concerns over last season’s Telkom Knock-Out final rift in public saying: “Cool, Calm and Collective. I wanna continue winning things wit Pirates so have to play it cool.”

McCarthy, out for six weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in his 10-minute appearance for Bafana in their 1-0 loss in Brazil on Friday, also found time to reassure an anxious Ghost on Twitter.

I’ve sorted some of the twitterisms, but here’s what South Africa’s record goal-scorer had to say: “Hope we can win more trophies and conquer Africa with Roger de Sa. I'll make sure the coach gets the very best from everyone in the team.

“Wow, if you think the appointment of our new coach will end my career! I've got God on my side. We the players will work hard to make life pleasant for the fans and help the new coach settle in good.

 “The rift with Roger ended after the Telkom Knock-out final, which we won (smile). It’s gone and forgotten, now we must work as a team to see what we can win together.

“Coach Palacios brought the best out of the team in difficult times. Give credit where its due.

“I seriously have no clue what the reasons were (behind yesterday’s announcement). The coach was struggling with his back for a while though.”

And he told his 30,725 followers: “Thanks for the get well wishes I'll be back soon, fitter and stronger most definitely.”

But Benni alone cannot ease the fears raised by De Sa’s appointment, confirmed to me by Khotso "Nic" Ditshego this morning an hour before the "high noon" press conference. The Iron Duke has now employed four coaches in two seasons – but his Buccaneers have plundered six trophies in that time, including two PSL tiles.

With the ghost of Ruud Krol still hanging over the Pirates, Brazilian Julio Leal and Peruvian caretaker Augusto Palacios failed to thrive at a sometimes violent Orlando Stadium.

Now along comes De Sa, who famously accused McCarthy of being “paid by the kilogram” when Pirates beat Wits in last season’s Telkom finale. McCarthy said afterwards that De Sa and his assistant Eric Tinkler were “dead to him” but both parties appear to be willing to work on their relationship.

It’s another relationship – De Sa’s break-up with his former partner Nicole Henderson – which stirs further controversy.

Last July, as Wits tumbled down the PSL table, the Randburg Magistrates Court heard how De Sa “harassed and threatened” Henderson and her new boyfriend Deon van Rensburg with violence. In court documents, Henderson and Van Rensburg went into detail how the former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper sent them abusive SMSes.

A month before, De Sa had been slapped with a protection order which instructed him not to “assault, threaten, harass, intimidate, verbally or physically abuse” the mother of his two chidren.

But Henderson told the court: "Roger tracks me down. I am not sure if I am being followed. He is mentally abusing me with ugly words.

"If he knows we are together, it goes on through the night. He is threatening to beat up my boyfriend. He told my kids he has a baseball bat and gun in his car. He has threatened to give me a hiding too.

"I don't think he is mentally stable at the moment and I am scared of what he might do. He is completely acting out of character, almost psychotic."

Van Rensburg, a Free State-based businessman, also sought help from the North Gauteng High Court last May to control De Sa’s post-relationship depression.

Van Rensburg showed the court De Sa’s text messages which read: "Hey fat p***sy! Come visit and face me man to man. Coward!; Always know where u r. U don't come to me. I will to u. F****d my family. U gonna pay. Hope u coming to Jhb! So we meet. Still running?; Next time I see u! U know. Be ready and be a man. If it takes 10 yrs. Its on. G Night Babe. XXX"

Henderson’s representative told the court: "According to Henderson the First Respondent (De Sa) was involved in numerous relationships with other women while he was also involved in the relationship with her. His tendency for affairs led to tension. They had regular fallouts. She told me she had left him in May 2011 ..."

In turn, Da Sa insisted: "I do not have a firearm and am not in possession of any firearms. It is the applicant who has a firearm that is not licensed, being a small pistol.

"I always have a baseball bat in my car, which is usually under my seat, for protection.”

"I deny that I am not mentally stable. I find it strange that the applicant, as a hairdresser, has the qualification to make any verdict on my mental health.”

After two spells in charge of Wits lasting nearly 10 years, De Sa was fired by Wits on July 9 last year. He insisted: “No, I was not fired because of those reports. They have been one-sided and my side of the story has not been heard so I would not like to dwell much on them.”

Maputo-born Rogério Paulo Cesar De Sá, who guided Wits to the Nedbank Cup in 2010 and represented South Africa as a footballer and basketballer, is no shrinking violet.

Now 47, Roger’s dad Octávio Augusto César De Sá (1935–1990), played in goal for Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon between 1956 and 1960 before moving to Mozambique. Roger arrived in South Africa in 1974, aged 10.

De Sa played for – and captained - Moroka Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns – and was in the 1996 African Nations Cup winning squad, though he won only one cap for Bafana Bafana.

De Sa started coaching Bidvest Wits towards the end of his playing career in 2001, aged 37 and was named PSL Coach of the Season in 2002–03. He rejoined The Students in June 2007, after two years in charge at Cape Town club Santos.

De Sa, who also acted as Bafana Bafana’s goalkeeping coach under Carlos Queiroz, said yesterday: “This has to be the right time as I had years ago contacted the chairman for this job to no avail. When I got the chairman's call I was obviously delighted as I believe I am up to the task at hand.”

The resignation of Augusto Palacios, who was only confirmed in the permanent coaching role at the start of the season after winning the PSL title as a caretaker last term, was not unexpected.

After four games without a goal and emphatic 3-0 defeats against SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows at a grumbling Orlando Stadium, chairman Khoza’s statement read: “Augusto Palacios has had to step aside as a result of a persistent back problem that resulted in hospitalisation last week.

“Augusto Palacios will revert to his position in the development structures of Orlando Pirates Football Club with due consideration to his recovery which is expected to take several months after undergoing major spinal surgery.

“Roger is a team player who has worked in various capacities for our senior and junior national teams including being roped in to the technical team of the Portuguese national team during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

“I have no doubt that he will find the new challenge at Orlando Pirates a worthwhile enhancement to his career.”

De Sa will take charge for the first time against Platinum Stars on September 18 and you have to wish the man luck. Clearly Roger and his family have had a tough year, but – like Stuart Baxter at Kaizer Chiefs – he claims he is up to coaching one of the nation’s biggest sides despite his personal ups and downs.

Just how he will cope with the egos in the squad and the passion of the fans is hard to say. The pressures at Wit and Santos were nothing compared to the stress of leading the Buccaneers. He’ll need all the luck he can get.

The uncomfortable truth: Why Irvin Khoza can't run Orlando Pirates and the PSL

The Iron Duke: Irvin Khoza

AFTER two years back in South Africa, it's time to address one of the serious problems surrounding the PSL, indisputably the richest league on the continent. It’s time to ask salient questions about the all-powerful Irvin Khoza, despite my twitter timeline being haunted by the Ghost of Soweto. Time to lay my cards on the table without fear or favour.

This isn't the blog I intended to put up today. My thoughts are drawn to Gordon Igesund's first Bafana Bafana squad and the resignation of England Test cricket captain Andrew Strauss, both of which will be announced today.

But the demands from Orlando Pirates fans on Facebook and Twitter knows no limits. They want me to explain why I feel their beloved Iron Duke should step down from his position of PSL chairman as soon as possible, for the sake of the game.

I should point out I've never met the man. Back in the 1980s, when I was heavily involved in South African football, the Iron Duke was a shadow in the foothills of football, a minor extra without an illustrious career in the game like the powerful figures of the time, Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Sono.

Khoza's rise to prominence, his incredible journey to a controlling position at Orlando Pirates, is easy to explain. The 64-year-old is a political genius, a master of diplomacy, despite an arrest for tax fraud in 2001 and two fines for insurance fraud.

He now holds a majority interest in the Orlando Stadium, has vast power within SAFA, decides the direction of the national team and - after playing a leading role in a highly successful World Cup on South African soil - he was able to focus on his beloved Buccaneers and they promptly picked up two successive trebles.

I'm told Khoza also has a stake in the Ellis Park sporting precinct, I've seen his mansion in Soweto - and he even has President Jacob Zuma in his family tree, though I won't go in to that here.

The conflict of interest inherent in Khoza's position as the major power at Orlando Pirates, the PSL and SAFA shouldn't need to be explained, but here I will list my reasons why I believe all is not right given the current status quo.

ONE: When Orlando Pirates fans got out of hand on Saturday night at Khoza's Orlando Stadium, I was there. I pointed out the paucity of trained stewards, the lack of warnings from the public address system and the presence of fireworks and bottles among the unsearched Ghost which led to a brief stoppage of game and several injuries.

On Monday on eNCAnews, eTV Sunrise, KayaFM, here and in The New Age, I highlighted a list of measures which should now be taken to ensure there is no repeat of the violence which broke out during a shock 3-0 MT8 defeat at the hands of SuperSport United.

With Khoza's Pirates fined FOUR TIMES since March last year, I called for immediate and punitive action. A big fine, a game played behind closed doors and further punishment for the apologetic Benni McCarthy, whose needless red card ultimately led to Saturday night's trouble, which I witnessed from a position amid the furious Buccaneer fans.

What did Khoza's PSL do? They charged arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs AND Orlando Pirates with failing control their fans. Once more, we witnessed the shrewd political machinations of the Iron Duke. The AmaKhozi DID throw a few things at Lotus Versfeld on August 5 but that was nearly a month ago, and there had been no calls for further action from ANYBODY. It was not a major incident.

It's arguable Chiefs deserved some sort of censure for their away fans that day, but in football, the conduct of travelling supporters is difficult to monitor. It may be that Khoza had no part to play in this decision to charge BOTH of South Africa's giants on the same day.

But as long as the Iron Duke runs both the PSL and Pirates, it's hard to see yesterday's move as anything other than an attempt to deflect attention away from the problems at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday night, where Khoza is ultimately responsible for security and fan behaviour.

We shall find out if real action is taken against the Buccaneers on September 7, when the hearing in to both situations is held.

TWO: Though nobody is questioning Orlando Pirates' position as the premier team in South Africa after their two successive PSL championships, it was a bit of a surprise when FOR THE SECOND SEASON RUNNING, the Buccaneers were "drawn" to play Golden Arrows on the last day of last season.

Pirates duly won the PSL with that come-from-behind victory against Golden Arrows inspired by a Benni McCarthy brace. What are the odds on that happening, given the League fixtures are supposed to be drawn at random with the help of computer scheduling?

And, unless I've been misinformed, Khoza's relationship with Arrows chairperson Mato Madlala and her family goes back a long, long way, to the re-founding of the franchise in 1996. Again, this could be pure coincidence, but with the Pirates chairman in charge of the PSL, what are we to think?

THREE: With his side just hours away from opening the new season against, ironically, Golden Arrows, we had Squveve suddenly bursting on to our television screens to tell us all about the new-fangled “Q innovation” with sponsors ABSA.

Though I have no problem with the idea of giving the quarterly winners of the PSL R1.5m and the ultimate champions R10m, I said immediately that the added concept of providing R500,000 to journalists who correctly predicted the most results every quarter. That goes against journalistic ethics and, arguably, could even taint the attitude of certain media pundits.

To have the chairman change the rules of the PSL hours before his own team – aiming for a hat-trick of titles - kicked-off the season would be seen an unusual in any league in the world. To offer money to journalists rather than fans for their predictions? Unthinkable.

And the fact that only “certain” journalists have been approached for their predictions makes the whole thing curiouser still. Somehow media men critical of Khoza were left off the list – I can only speak for myself. PSL PRO Altaaf Kazi used to email me everything last season. Now I’m persona non grata, which is why I chose to sit in the stands at 

Orlando last week rather than the press box. 

Is that why neither of the major South African football websites mentioned the game-stopping trouble at the Orlando Stadium in their match reports on Saturday night? Of course, I could be wrong, but with Khoza in his dual position of power, it’s hard to put two and two together without making half a million.

FOUR: Whatever happened to PSL CEO Stanley Matthews? Why did he stand down when everything appeared to be going so well? I met Matthews a couple of times before his sudden departure in July, have tried to get him to talk to me about the problems which led to his resignation. I’ve heard nothing. Nobody has. It’s as if he never existed.

Could it be that he stood up to the machinations that were going on behind the scenes at the PSL? As a former SuperSport United executive, he would have railed against potential bias being shown toward any particular club. At the PSL awards at Gold Reef City I was particularly interested to see the relationship between Khoza and Matthews. And between the Pirates boss and Amakhosi founder Kaizer Motaung.

There was no doubt who was in charge, even at a largely social occasion. A couple of weeks later, Matthews was gone. So was Altaaf Kazi. We can only guess at the root causes of their unhappiness, but Khoza has done nothing to explain.

I will let this argument stand at that. Four good reasons why Irvin Khoza SHOULD NOT be allowed to run the PSL and the South African champions. I could go in to the failure of Danny Jordaan’s FIFA-backed bid for the SAFA presidency, the bizarre posse of unwanted Pirates who headed to promoted Chippa United shortly after their promotion or the PSL’s strange silence on the corruption charges against Bobby Motaung earlier this month.

But I won’t. I daren’t. Instead, chew over the four scenarios above. Understand that I have no bias here. It is in the interests of South African football to have an efficient administration, and we all know Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are integral to the success of the PSL.

What I fear is this. If South African football is run as a monopoly, with the chairman having direct links to the president of the country, FIFA and/or CAF will act. Just as they threw Tunisia’s Etoile Sahel out of the African League after a missile-throwing crowd invasion last week, Pirates must put their ship in order.

Justice must be seen to be done. And, though Pirates fans won’t like it, the only way to do that is to appoint a neutral PSL chief and a new CEO. Not to mention a proper head of SAFA rather than a compromise candidate.

It won’t be painless. But in the long run, South African football will benefit.

A sad night at the Orlando Stadium: The lessons South African football MUST learn from Saturday's violence

Pirates ahoy: the Orlando Stadium on Saturday night. Picture: IOL

There are vital lessons to be learned for South African football after Saturday night's troubled scenes following SuperSport United's shock 3-0 win over Orlando Pirates in a stormy MTN8 semi-final.

What happened on Saturday night – Benni McCarthy’s indiscipline, inept stewarding, poor security – cannot be glossed over as the club run by PSL Chairman Irvin Khoza attempts to put right Saturday’s on-field problems.

These are not the rantings of an angry fan of either side. I was at the game, in the midst of the Orlando Pirates fans, with my friend Khotso Ditshego. We witnessed every minute of the trouble, and the aftermath as we walked home from the ground close to midnight. I have seen trouble break out at games in England, Demark and France... and grew up amid serious football violence in South Africa in the dark days under Apartheid.

Determined action must be taken to avoid a repeat. But I fear it won't.
According to www.kickoff.com (neither they nor Laduma, the two biggest SA soccer sites mentioned the match-stopping violence in their match reports), Pirates have been fined a total of R361 000 for four incidents since March 2011, "yet the club keeps getting penalised for more or less the same small amount, with the majority suspended".
The whole situation highlights the conflict of interest inherent in having a club chairman running the national league, we can only hope the Iron Duke recognises that and allows a rigorous inquiry into what happened at his own stadium.

Instead I suspect we will hear all about how referee Robert Smith was suspended last year for failing to send off an unnamed Jomo Cosmos player for an apparent red card offence against AmaZulu.

Pirates coach Augusto Palacios has already suggsted Smith was at fault for infuriating the Ghost, but this is NOT about inept refereeing.

Though PSL head of communications Connie Motshumi suggests there WILL be disciplinary proceedings, I predict a small fine and a rap over the knuckles for the PSL champions.

But here's what should happen. Benni McCarthy, despite his twittered apology on Sunday, should be fined and suspended by the club on top of the regulation PSL punishment for red card. His actions, rushing over to confront Franklin Cale after a foul on Daine Klate, inflamed the situation and ultimately cost Pirates the match. To his credit, Benni has admitted as much on twitter.

Secondly, the stewards should hauled over the coals for failing to apprehend bottle throwers, inept searches of fans entering the stadium and allowing entry to drunken supporters. Instead, they simply stood and watched as the missiles came down. In Europe, stewards immediately make their way in to the fans - no matter how angry they are - and eject offenders from the ground.

I'm not saying the Orlando stewards weren't brave - just unprepared for the trouble and lacking training in how to deal with such situations. In Britain, stewards DON'T watch the football, they spend the entire game with their backs to the action looking for troublemakers. They act immediately to forcibly remove missile throwers, racist chanters and fights. That's why they're there. 

Thirdly, the public address announcer failed to call for calm or an end to the throwing of bottles and fireworks - even when the game was briefly suspended when Rowen Fernandez' goal came under fire. The PA announced substitutions throughout, but failed to respond to the growing violence.

Fourthly, fans in rival shirts belonging to a third team must be turned away. The thought of attending a Spurs v Chelsea game in an Arsenal shirt is just unthinkable in London. The practice MUST be banned in South Africa. Specifically, Kaizer Chiefs fans must be told to remove their colours at Pirates matches, and vice versa.

And finally, Buccaneer fans, shocked to find a referee brave enough to brandish a red card in Orlando, should be excluded from the next home game – a “behind closed doors" policy UEFA regularly uses in these situations. It hits the club hard in the pocket and reinforces the punishment for bad behaviour.

These lessons, particularly the training of stewards, must be learned.

Otherwise South African football could find itself back in the bad old days of crowd violence, intimidation and poor policing that were a major part of the game here and in Europe thirty years ago. I know. I was there. And nobody wants that.

Nomvethe or Sangweni: let's have Siyabongas all round for South Africa's Footballer of the Season, thank you

Siyabonga very much: Nomvethe receives
his award from Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula

THE row over the PSL Footballer of the Season award handed to Moroka Swallows veteran Siyabonga Nomvethe on Sunday night refuses to go away.

Orlando Pirates fans are adamant their own Siyabonga - Sangweni - deserved the ultimate accolade on a night when the 34-year-old "Bhele" won FOUR awards, picking up cheques worth R600,000 in slightly less than an hour. While prospective gamblers at the surrounding Gold Reef City were desperately prospecting for a few rands around them, South Africa's footballing fraternity were left open-mouthed as Nomvethe - fresh from scoring a hat-trick on his return to Bafana Bafana in a friendly against club side Impala Warriors earlier in the day - was forced to use his aching legs to get to the stage time and again.

Three of those awards were won without serious debate.

The R50,000 PSL golden boot, named after the late Buccaneer Lesley Manyathela, was a matter of mathematics. Nomvethe reached 20 League goals this season and ended eight clear of his rivals, including the 34-year-old Benni McCarthy.

He also scooped the R150,000 PSL Player of the Season accolade ahead of team-mate David Mathebula and Sangweni.

And a quick count of votes among his peers saw Nomvethe take the Player's Player of the Season cheque for R150,000.

But it was the R250,000 Footballer of the Season - awarded by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to the best player in all competitions, not just the PSL - that got the Ghost's goat.

While Nomvethe shone in the League and failed with coach of the season Gordon Igesund's Swallows in the cups, Sangweni played 28 League games for the Buccaneers, scoring vital goals against Bloemfontein Celtic and Golden Arrows in the title-clinching final two games.

He also played in EVERY knock-out match, where Pirates won the MTN8 trophy and the Telkom Knock-out, where Sangweni was voted defender of the tournament.

Just like last year, when Ajax Cape Town's Thulani Serero won the award - voted for by the 16 PSL coaches - ahead of Andile Jali, Augusto Palacios was making Ruud Krol-style waves.

Pirates' Peruvian caretaker coach - still not sure of his future next season - told kickoff.com: "I think our man deserved it on merit. Of course Sangweni is disappointed.

"I respect what Nomvethe did, but I feel Sangweni deserved this one. Sangweni was also a part of the national team throughout the season, so for me personally this was his award. 

"I don't dispute what Nomvete did, but Sangweni did well in ALL competitions."

And of course he's right. With seven goals in all competitions, the 30-year-old from Empangeni, whose younger brother Thamsanqa has just left Amazulu for Sundowns, did do the business.

But here's the problem. There were so many other prominent Pirates who did well in all competitions during another historic treble-winning season for the Sea Robbers.

Benni McCarthy, who won the ABSA-lutely stunning goal of the season for his overhead kick, also picked up the Telkom Knock-out goal and player of the tournament awards. And he produced the two late goals which won the title in Durban just over a week ago.

And then there's the captain, Lucky Lekgwathi who, at 35, scored what was eventually the most important goal of the season, the last-gasp effort which overcame stubborn SuperSports United a month ago.

The 35-year-old from GaRankuwa would have been my choice as South Africa's best player this season - but he wasn't nominated for ANY award on Sunday night.

Perhaps Sangweni's failure shows just how much talent the Pirates had on show rather than how much other Premier coaches dislike the black-and-white.

Sangweni himself, of course, showed no sign of discomfort. He told Soccer Laduma: “Nomvethe deserved the big award. Honestly, Bhele worked hard this past season - I’m happy for him, which is why I congratulated him and would like to congratulate him once again.

“I can’t blame anyone because those who selected him believed he was more deserving. We see things differently, as some people think I should’ve won the award but that’s how football is. I have no hard feelings about it because being nominated in almost every award means I did well and I’m happy about it.”

So Siyabongas all round it is. And for my money, Nomvethe's goal glut was THE story of the season. He scored more goals in percentage terms than Robin van Persie scored for "one man team" Arsenal, and the man from KwaMashu almost single-handedly propelled the Dube Birds from relegation fodder to championship contenders.

For that, Bhele deserved everything he got on Sunday night, which was a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

But one last question: Where was the voice of the PSL, Robert Marawa of MetroFm, SABCtv and SuperSport? I know, but I'm afraid I can't tell you.

You can follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol or watch my regular Monday morning appearances on eNews and eTV Sunrise. And read www.thenewage.co.za every Tuesday for my "Neal and Pray" column.