Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

KwaZulu-Natal launched it's own reserve league in Durban yesterday.

The league will operate as the Premier's Reserve League after provincial premier S'bu Ndebele injected money into it to cater for the day-to-day running of the league.

Clive Barker, one of the league coordinators, said the league was long overdue as they had the idea a long time before the Gautengers, whose reserve league is already up and running.

He said the only reason they could not do it before was the lack of sponsorship and a shortage of top flight teams in the province .

"There were suggestions that we could include teams from the Vodacom League, as we needed to have eight teams but we brushed that off," said the former Bafana Bafana coach.

"As it is, only AmaZulu, Arrows, Maritzburg United, Nathi Lions and Durban Stars would be playing," Barker said.

Barker said the league would start on Monday with a match between Nathi Lions and Durban Stars, and later Golden Arrows against AmaZulu.

Entrance is free.

"These matches would give those players who are recovering from injuries, suspended, off form or warming the bench some time to regroup and adjust," he said.

Barker said he believed the regional league would be far better and more competitive than the provincial leagues.

Manqoba Mnqithi, Arrows' coach, said: "I think this is going to be a good start for development and nurturing of talent. We would be able to look at the continuity of a player and I think it's long overdue," said Mnqithi.

Each team will play eight matches in the eight weeks, starting from Monday.