MANZINI: The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) has been effectively jammed in paralyzing gridlock following the High Court victory of Manzini Wanderers; and the subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court by Moneni Pirates.
All eyes are now fixed on the Football Association of Eswatini (EFA) that may need to be innovative to avert plunging the game of soccer into a crisis from which everyone stands to lose.
The past season was a bit too much for Manzini Wanderers. Much loved, a legend of football; the life, soul and identity of the city of Manzini, they struggled to cope, and almost failed. As they were being swept away by the currents of relegation, they managed to clutch on one last straw. Fortunately it held, and saved them as their protest against Denver Sundowns was upheld at the High Court where Judge Mumcy Dlamini ruled that they must be reinstated in the League. Saved by the bell, Wanderers fans will savour the sweet victory with much relish.
But the High Court ruling does throw the cat amongst the pigeons.
The PLE which organizes the game of soccer in the country. It plans and manages each aspect of the season. The League is designed to accommodate only 14 teams. Which was perfect, until Wanderers returned. The 14 clubs that had already played 3 games, must now pause, and wait for Wanderers to get onboard.
But anyone thinking Pirates will simply walk away needs to think again. Obviously not the type to joke with second changes, Pirates took their temporary reprieve as a Godsent gift that they took with exuberant energy. Resuming the League with the vengeance of a desperate buccaneer, they are resolved that come hell or high water, this time they are not falling off the league. So far, they are on a winning roll. They bagged 3 points outright and drew 2 games to stay with the unbeaten top five leaders.
So what will happen to Pirates
Right now, Pirates have too much to lose. The Wanderers’ court victory was obvious that much more bad news. But they were ready with a pre-emptive Supreme Court counter-attack that throws wrecking wrench into the League. Now the League will be paralyzed until the Pirates case is resolved.
As anyone knows, the Supreme Court is not among the speediest of processes. It can take as long as 90 days for a case to finally land before the bench. Yet suspending the League, even for one week, let alone 90 days is a thought too ghastly to contemplate.
“We held an emergency meeting immediately the High Court ruled to reinstate Manzini Wanderers in the League. This matter has now been referred to our mother body, the EFA for their decision,” PLE CEO Petros Vilakati told Eswatini Broadcasting.
“Since Moneni has appealed does this mean you will now stop the League?” Vilakati was asked.
“No. We just can’t stop the league. There are too many implications. What would happen if the Pirates appeal is heard in February or March? Remember we have other commitments. We have sponsors to think off. We have a calendar that we must complete on time. We have international commitments as there are teams that must go play in Africa. There are also other League tournaments that cannot be put off…..”
The PLE is the operational structure of the sport. In a crisis like this, they can only recommend, but cannot take a decision on what to do to get out of the present predicament. The hard decisions will need to be taken by the policy-making structure – the EFA.
Now that Wanderers are back
Now that the law has pronounced Wanderers’ are part of the league, they have every right to demand to play as soon as tomorrow – except that, thanks to Pirates tomorrow may now be 90 days away.
“The EFA in their wisdom can correct this tricky problem by simply accepting a league of 15 teams. To get to that point, they may have to talk nicely and quietly invite Pirates back to play,” confided an informed observer of the game.
Restoration of Wanderers in the Premier League is good news for much more than their fans. Wanderers is a national treasure. They are a legend in their hometown of Manzini. They are a founding pillar of the game – being present at the dawn of formal football in the Kingdom. They are one of the founders of both the FA and the League. They are major stakeholders. Together with Mbabane Swallows and Mbabane Highlanders, they are the reason fans will fill the turnstiles. They are good for other teams too; bringing payday gate takings for their opponents. They make the game what it is and what it should be, and it would be terrible to lose them.
But it is also a fact that while Wanderers bring the flavour and excitement everyone needs in the sport, the reality suggests that not all is well. For that reason they need to have an internal family talk. They need to discuss age, that may obviously be catching up, influencing their ability to keep up with new sports trends and management practices. They are a people’s team with unrivalled support of frenzied fans that as everyone can testify. At the same time, they can benefit from discussing renewal processes that will make the Weslians continue as the strong brand with the kind of pulling power that makes Eswatini soccer a sustainable entity.
Last season Wanderers were limping badly – so badly they have now been rescued from the cold jaws of relegation by a fortuitous protest. In the new season, they may need more than the help of the defaulting Jimoh Moses.
It is not the first time Wanderers have come this tantalizingly close to disaster. They were in this sticky patch a quarter of a century ago. Then, they were rescued, the sporting way, by a Scara Gama humdinger that sealed a 1-0 victory against Young Buffaloes at Simunye. That was in 1998.
By this time next week, the League may have 15 teams in the fixture. It might be a bit of an overdose for Wanderers who will be forced to be standby. Wonderful Wanderers may earn a new moniker: Standby Wednesday Night Wanderers.
