Time to scrap the much-maligned play-offs

An African proverb goes: “throwing water on a duck is a useless exercise”. What I am about to write about today may be throwing water on a duck’s back, but I will have my say anyway. I know so much has been said about the promotional play-offs though I am yet to find anyone who likes them.

For a long time now I have followed the play-offs and I must say they tend to help the team from the top flight. Just this week, Platinum Stars played at night – they are also playing tonight’s match against Black Leopards under lights – and they see this as an advantage. All NFD matches are played during the day and Cosmos and Leopards are not used to play- ing at night. Teams from the top flight are also well-resourced and capable of preparing better.

Some will say the NFD teams come to the play-offs with some momentum as they would have been form teams all season while the side dropping from the Premiership would have been off form. That is a valid point but I still believe they are betterequipped.

The play-offs also deny us a photo finish in the NFD. Had there not been a possibility of the playoffs, we could have witnessed epic matches on the last day of NFD action as second-placed Jomo Cosmos met third-placed Black Leopards. A winner would have qualified for the elite league and

Sibongiseni Gumbi

they would all go all out for a win. Instead Jomo Sono understandably went with an inexperienced side as he had to protect his regular players and also keep his aces in reserve so he had something up his sleeve when they met again in the play-offs.

Sono has also had his take on the play-offs; putting it bluntly that they are just a waste of time and effort especially for the NFD teams. The teams spend at least three weeks competing in the play-offs, a time they could spend finding players to strengthen their team so they will be able to compete in the top flight. A time the players should be resting so they come back for pre-season training fresh and rejuvenated.

Another issue that these playoffs bring is the unending cases like we have seen with the Ajax fiasco. There have been such instances even in the NFD as teams jostle for a place in the play-offs. And we will still see more cases in future if nothing is done about the current relegation/promotion system.

With the recent Ajax fiasco, some have suggested that maybe it is time for the PSL to increase the number of teams to 18 at once. This is long overdue – but that is not what we are discussing today.

Of course this is an easier resolve which could leave everyone involved happy but it could also be dangerous and start a trend that would be damaging to our football.

This could lead to other teams in future to also demand the league be increased to 20 when their issues are not easy to solve as it is happening with the drawnout Ajax matter.

Some have said they are good for exposure for the NFD teams because they are shown live on TV. I do not disagree with that notion but it doesn’t convince me.