The Premier Soccer League awards dinner on Monday was, as expected, a glittering affair that honoured the heroes of the past season.
These include footballer of the year Lebo Manyama, his Cape Town City teammate Aubrey Ngoma and Thulani Hlatshwayo of Bidvest Wits.
We congratulate all the winners, even though the awards dinner was not without controversy as other categories - such as goal of the season and Nedbank Cup player of the tournament - could well have produced different winners.
But it is the event itself with which we have a problem. It started too late (9.30pm) and concluded just after midnight. Even by previous PSL standards, this was just too long. The event was characterised by frequent breaks and glowing, self-praising speeches from sponsors who also got a turn to present awards. This can be avoided to shorten the event.
We were also surprised that the chairman of the league, Irvin Khoza, in his long speech, could not find words to pay tribute to Mamelodi Sundowns for being only the second PSL side to win the CAF Champions League.
The PSL awards need a revamp and new thinking, otherwise they are fast slipping into a sleep-inducing event that drones on and will soon lose relevance, when they are supposed to be a crowning moment for deserving winners. Even the Ballon d'Or doesn't last three hours!
Opinion: PSL awards need a fresh approach
The Premier Soccer League awards dinner on Monday was, as expected, a glittering affair that honoured the heroes of the past season.
These include footballer of the year Lebo Manyama, his Cape Town City teammate Aubrey Ngoma and Thulani Hlatshwayo of Bidvest Wits.
We congratulate all the winners, even though the awards dinner was not without controversy as other categories - such as goal of the season and Nedbank Cup player of the tournament - could well have produced different winners.
But it is the event itself with which we have a problem. It started too late (9.30pm) and concluded just after midnight. Even by previous PSL standards, this was just too long. The event was characterised by frequent breaks and glowing, self-praising speeches from sponsors who also got a turn to present awards. This can be avoided to shorten the event.
We were also surprised that the chairman of the league, Irvin Khoza, in his long speech, could not find words to pay tribute to Mamelodi Sundowns for being only the second PSL side to win the CAF Champions League.
The PSL awards need a revamp and new thinking, otherwise they are fast slipping into a sleep-inducing event that drones on and will soon lose relevance, when they are supposed to be a crowning moment for deserving winners. Even the Ballon d'Or doesn't last three hours!
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