THE South African Football Association and Premier Soccer League have formed a task team to approach the continental soccer body with a view to finding common ground in the club versus country conundrum.
The key issue is whether South Africa should keep following the European football calendar, revert to the Confederation of African Football calendar, or can persuade CAF to fall in line with the European schedule.
At a media briefing in Nasrec yesterday, Safa chief executive Robin Petersen said they were speaking to other leagues on the continent before approaching CAF.
"When the PSL was formed in 1996, a decision was taken to change their calendar in line with Europe," he said. 'The problem was that the PSL calendar (which ran from January to December) clashed with the one in Europe.
"It was difficult getting players based in Europe to come play for Bafana Bafana at that time, as some of the clubs in Europe refused to release them."
Led by chairman Irvin Khoza, the PSL executive at the time decided to fall in line with the European calender in a move aimed at assisting Bafana Bafana.
"Now that we have a Fifa mandatory calendar, we either have to align with the one for CAF or remain with the European one," said Petersen.
"We (Safa and the PSL) are talking to CAF hoping it will also align with the European calendar. It is also the preference of the majority of the leagues on the continent.
"It is either we align with the CAF calendar or continue following the European one. We hope the engagements with CAF and the leagues will finally bring to an end the club versus country problem."
Following the goalless draw with Equatorial Guinea last Friday, Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane pleaded with Safa and the PSL to come up with strategies to end the club versus country problem.
In December, Khoza announced that the PSL was toying with the idea of going back to the January to December calendar.
"This will not only help Bafana Bafana and other national teams, our clubs will also have enough time to plan for CAF competitions," said Khoza.
"We (clubs) will also be able to sign players at the beginning of the year if we are to go back to the January to December calendar."
Solution to tug-of-war?
THE South African Football Association and Premier Soccer League have formed a task team to approach the continental soccer body with a view to finding common ground in the club versus country conundrum.
The key issue is whether South Africa should keep following the European football calendar, revert to the Confederation of African Football calendar, or can persuade CAF to fall in line with the European schedule.
At a media briefing in Nasrec yesterday, Safa chief executive Robin Petersen said they were speaking to other leagues on the continent before approaching CAF.
"When the PSL was formed in 1996, a decision was taken to change their calendar in line with Europe," he said. 'The problem was that the PSL calendar (which ran from January to December) clashed with the one in Europe.
"It was difficult getting players based in Europe to come play for Bafana Bafana at that time, as some of the clubs in Europe refused to release them."
Led by chairman Irvin Khoza, the PSL executive at the time decided to fall in line with the European calender in a move aimed at assisting Bafana Bafana.
"Now that we have a Fifa mandatory calendar, we either have to align with the one for CAF or remain with the European one," said Petersen.
"We (Safa and the PSL) are talking to CAF hoping it will also align with the European calendar. It is also the preference of the majority of the leagues on the continent.
"It is either we align with the CAF calendar or continue following the European one. We hope the engagements with CAF and the leagues will finally bring to an end the club versus country problem."
Following the goalless draw with Equatorial Guinea last Friday, Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane pleaded with Safa and the PSL to come up with strategies to end the club versus country problem.
In December, Khoza announced that the PSL was toying with the idea of going back to the January to December calendar.
"This will not only help Bafana Bafana and other national teams, our clubs will also have enough time to plan for CAF competitions," said Khoza.
"We (clubs) will also be able to sign players at the beginning of the year if we are to go back to the January to December calendar."
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