PSL has to limit sizes of squads
LOOKING at updated squad lists the PSL released, it does not appear to be a case of less is more for the country’s 16 top-flight clubs.
Many seem to have far more playersthan is necessary from both a financial and utility perspective, even if one allows room for a few youngsters to make a name for themselves.
It is incredible that Pirates, for example, have 51 players registered, according to the PSL’s media release. Some players will have to wait ages for game time, given the obviously long pecking order that exists in massive squads.
It might be a good idea for the PSL to limit squad sizes in future, and the subsequent cost saving by clubs could be used for muchneeded marketing initiatives to increase the scandalously-poor crowd averages, among other things.
Clubs surely don’t need to register more than two players per in-field position, three goalkeepers and a couple of utility men.
What are Pirates and newlypromoted Highlands Park doing with more than half-a-ton of players? This contrasts hugely with Celtic and Polokwane City who have 27 men each in the smallest squads around.
Elsewhere Ajax have 33, Baroka 33, Wits 32, Cape Town City 41, Chippa 32, Free State Stars 30, Arrows 33, Chiefs 31, Mamelodi 31, Maritzburg 30, Platinum Stars 33 and SuperSport 30.
In addition to these already large figures, clubs can still sign free agents during the season and may, during the next transfer window in January, also change all five foreigners on their books if they so wish.
By far, manpower is the biggest expense for clubs, most of whom have meagre facilities for admin and training purposes despite them being professional in name. Surely lowering squad costs could help them put money into other areas that have a longer lifespan.
For example, clubs would be able to spend an extra R20 000 or more on marketing initiatives every month for every player reduction if the PSL were to consider imposing a limit on registrations. Many players earn far more than R20 000, but this “saving” estimate seems a practical one to use because the lower paid and lesser experienced squad members would likely be fewer in number in the event of a rule change.
Marketing is certainly a critical issue, in light of the paltry bums on seats at so many matches. The basic quality of PSL football may need great improvement over time to bring back fans to stadiums, but the short-term issue is that clubs should do far more to add a few thousand to existing crowd averages.
The state of the economy and widespread TV coverage of global football may be stumbling blocks, but too many clubs seem to rely on the PSL’s vast media coverage as a key form of marketing matches. It is obvious most club officials need to be far more aggressive when it comes to fantastic activations.
Their football entities will remain small in stature should they persist with the narrow business approach wherein TV revenues minus player salaries equals profit.