By Rorisang Matea
Shortage of goals seems to be a trademark and somewhat a tradition in the South African domestic league level, the Absa Premiership to be precise. Since its inception in 1996 the league has witnessed four players surpassing the 20 goal mark if not more.
This is really horrendous considering the standard of the league, because it is considered one of the best and yet entertaining league in Africa with its reputation of attracting big name players, issuing monthly cheques amounting to six figures as well as procuring global sponsors.
Meanwhile from 1997 until 2019 we have been exposed to a total of 382 goals and 210 of those were struck by local based players and a total of 172 were contributed by foreign players amongst themselves.
The only outstanding player to have received the late Lesley Manyathela’s golden boot with his head held up high was former Kaizer Chiefs and current University of Pretoria’s marksman of Zambian native Collins Mbesuma who found back of the net on 35 occasions during the 2004/05 season in which 10 of those were from cup competitions.
From then we have seen players, strikers particularly being goal shy in front of goal post, with current golden boot holder from Zambia as well Mwape Musonda who is on the books of Black Leopards managed to bang the net 16 times for the entire season.
Honestly this norm plants a bad image to our beloved football league because it seems as though our strikers have lost the desire to score goals or maybe credit needs to be shifted over to defenders courtesy of their fine display on every match they play to outshine our goal scorers.
Our then Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula once said and I quote, “we don’t roll out red carpet for mediocrity but for champions”, this sentiments on its own should not be in passing, but tolerated and given much attention. To many a prolific football striker has to net or at least contribute to 20 or more goals but that has not been happening for years consecutively. I now urge PSL to review the top scorer prize until we find a potential recipient of the accolade.
With the league ready to kick-start its 24th edition in the next two days, I request all marquee goal poachers to tighten up their soccer boots and pull up their socks, because as of now and going forward we need Collins Mbesuma epitome who hails nowhere near the home soil.
