Strap on your seatbelts and brace yourselves for the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.

After the phony war of the pre-season matches‚ the real battle gets under way when the 2016/2017 domestic premiership season starts on Tuesday.

Impatient fans have been counting the days and given what is at stake‚ here are five things that we hope will help make this a truly exciting campaign

1) The idea of a striker capable of scoring 20 league goals or more in a PSL season has become a myth‚ like the Easter bunny‚ and it seems only an act of God will end the long wait.

Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Collins Mbesuma was the last man to score more than 20 goals in a domestic top-flight season more than a decade ago and we’re starting to wonder if it wasn’t all a dream.

Surely 20 goals or more are not too much to ask?

2) There are days when the officiating is so appalling that it seems our local referees are only moments away from taking matters into their own hands and scoring the goals themselves.

Games have been won or lost because the match officials decided that they wanted to be in the headlines the next day.

And believe me‚ there are times when referees have competed with players to such an extent that supporters are as familiar with their names as they are with the players.

Here’s hoping we see more of the players and less of the men in the middle in the coming season.

3) Communication is a crucial part of sport and there are times when it wasn’t as good as it should have been last season.

The media’s relationship with the clubs‚ the PSL and the South African Football Association (Safa) should always be on solid ground and it doesn’t make sense for these parties to treat each other with suspicion when they should actually be working together.

We can only hope that all the parties start on a clean slate in the new campaign and ensure that information is disseminated to the benefit of the main stakeholders of the local game‚ the supporters.

4) There are several title contenders this season and it’s our wish that all the sides snapping at champions Mamelodi Sundowns’ heels are able to push the race to the final week of the campaign next year.

It makes for a better competition for the fans‚ media and sponsors if there are multiple contenders and the title race is not decided with several weeks still to play.

Kaizer Chiefs‚ Orlando Pirates‚ BidVest Wits‚ SuperSport United and Platinum Stars‚ among others‚ have all made exciting acquisitions during the domestic off-season and the fans will now hope that all these sides are able to push holders Sundowns all the way.

5) Crowd attendance remains a massive challenge for any sporting code and football is no exception.

Good crowds enhance the value of the product and the players themselves will tell you that packed stands inspire better performances on the pitch.

Packed crowds also ensure visually appealing images for those who are watching at home on television and if all of the above comes together seamlessly‚ a PSL season like no other awaits us.