Durban – Fifa World Cup fever is slowly kicking in as national team coaches and players from all around the globe finalise their preparations for the tournament in the last international break.
During that break, Orlando Pirates first-choice goalkeeper Richard Ofori and Brice Ambina of Cameroon linked up with his national team’s counterparts as they sought to brush up on their final touches before the showpiece in Qatar next month.
The pair are the only players in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) who are in contention to feature in next month's competition.
However, with just one call-up to his name, it is highly unlikely that the Cape Town City midfielder will crack the final 26-man squad for the Indomitable Lions ahead of the tournament and that means Ofori will be the only one flying the PSL flag high.
One has to ask how big are the PSL’s problems that they're not even attracting the calibre of talent that will be on display at the biggest tournament in all of sport?
The South African football fraternity might be quick to point out that Bafana Bafana's decline in recent years is the primary reason behind the league's low representation.
However, another factor to consider might be that an unattractive league isn't a prime destination for some of the continent's best players.
Since 2014, the PSL has been represented by three players in the two World Cup editions, namely Daniel Akpeyi (Nigeria, 2018, with Chippa United at the time), Rashid Sumaila (Ghana, 2014, with Mamelodi Sundowns at the time) Fatau Dauda (Ghana, 2014, with Pirates at the time) – not a pleasing picture of the type of quality we possess in our league.
In comparison to a Tunisia side heading to the World Cup, although bolstered by French Ligue 1 players, the Eagle of Carthage currently have six players from their domestic league, a clear indication of the gulf in quality the PSL has to make up if it is to be considered one of the best leagues on the continent.
It has been frequently noted that the future of the South African national team lies in the strengthening of our local league, and every time the World Cup comes around, supporters of all our clubs are reminded of the frail state of our football.
The competitive nature of leagues around the continent make them breeding grounds for some of the brightest diamonds at national level.
However, in a South African context, the dominance of Sundowns is viewed as a hindrance rather than a boost to the highest level.
The PSL is in a complex predicament and the questions continue to pile up with each World Cup year.
IOL Sport