Soccer is a very cruel game as it sometimes produces results that are contrary to expectations.
Who could have imagined that newcomers Magesi FC would beat fancied Kaizer Chiefs in a League game, then repeat its giant-slaying feats by knocking Orlando Pitates out of the Carling Cup before marching forward to beat expensively assembled Mamelodi Sundowns fair and square in the final match of the selfsame Carling Cup?
And in the same vein, who would have imagined that having established themselves as “delela boys”(recalcitrant outfit) in the PSL, the selfsame Magesi would at the halfway mark of the League’s proceedings be languishing right at the bottom and facing possible relegation if their fortunes don’t change?
And who would have thought that a team coached by charismatic Dance Malesela would suffer an 8-1 drubbing that has the potential to see Malesela being jobless in January 2025 and possibly putting an end to his coaching career.
The 8-1 torture which Pirates inflicted on Malesela’s team hurt me a lot, this as I am a loyal fan of Dance Malesela’s and I support every team that he coaches irrespective of its fan base, reputation or status.
I admire Malesela’s talent-inspired, good-to the-eye crowd-pleasing coaching style and it hurts me each time he loses a match and gets fired down the line.
I am also disappointed that Quinton Larsen has decided to quit Magesi after a good run in the Carling Cup where he beat both Pirates and Sundowns with almost identical goals that showed that our top defenders in the PSL can’t deal with high square balls but that they nod their heads downwards instead of heading the ball away.
Sundowns, Chiefs and Pirates supporters that I have spoken to regarding Magesi’s situation at the bottom of the League table have expressed joy that Magesi may finally be something of the past and will never be seen again in the professional soccer ranks.
They opine that Larsen and Magesi’s performance against their teams were just a fluke and that Magesi has invited bad luck on itself by beating Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns.
Be that as it may,bI hope Magesi will bounce back and remain in the PSL so that they would once more cause misery and pain on the likes of Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns.
Faku gesi Magesi!
Another matter which is sad is that all three KZN-based teams, namely AmaZulu, Royal AM and Richards Bay are presently at the bottom of the League table behind one another, and it is certain that all of them will have to deal with relegation issues come the end of the current soccer season in 2025.
Yet another sad matter is to see Chiefs still struggling and their revered coach Nabi looking like a man who doesn’t know what he is actually doing.
But to be honest, Chiefs doesn’t have overly talented players and those that are there are below average chaps who won’t be able to even out-dribble an old woman should they be challenged to do so.