NFD clubs to boycott start of season

14 Sep 2012 8:49:00 AM

Reasons for boycott are not clear, but second tier's future now unclear

National First Division clubs have decided to boycott this weekend’s opening round of fixtures over “unresolved issues” with the PSL.

Although the cause of their anger is unclear, it means that the second-tier league, which has already been delayed for over a month, will now be postponed further.

Santos owner Goolam Allie had this week stressed that there was no disharmony between the PSL and NFD clubs over their decision to run as an autonomous competition.

But it appears that there are tensions with all second-tier sides involved in this weekend’s opening round, deciding taking the drastic step to boycott their matches.

“It is not a breakaway, we are merely operating like a sub-committee of the PSL,” Allie said as he explained the split. “We are still very much part of the PSL and its bigger structure. We still fall under the executive of the PSL, so I don’t see much of a difference in the way the league operates on a day-to-day basis.

“It will just give NFD clubs a little more responsibility and independence for their own product, however, like any other company with subsidiaries, there are PSL rules and regulations that we need to abide by. The monthly grants and the support that we receive from the PSL in administration should not change.”

Allie admits that the matter should have been handled differently and that perhaps there was too much haste in trying to push it through. This has led to the unresolved issues that have forced the postponement of this weekend’s games.

“It is an initiative that didn’t come from the NFD clubs only, it came from the executive of the PSL as well. Unfortunately there was negative reporting around the issue because certain people were not patient and pushed for it.”
A sub-committee of six members has been formed to oversee the stand-alone process of the NFD.

The sub-committee will consist of Kaizer Motaung, John Comitis, Mato Madlala, Jabu Khumalo, Pierre Delvaux and Pat Malabela. Motaung, chairman of the NSL Finance Committee, will be the convener.

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