Mcelwa Nchabeleng and Molefi Mika

Mcelwa Nchabeleng and Molefi Mika

SuperSport United's players will get the biggest ever incentives of players in South Africa if they win the R10 million Absa Premiership title.

"We are going to give our players something that has never been given to players in this country. They are going to get 50 percent of the prize money and this will be a lot of money considering that we also don't have a big squad at SuperSport," said club chairman Khulu Sibiya yesterday.

In the last season players were said to have to have shared 100 percent of the R2,6 million first prize money when Mamelodi Sundowns won the league title.

But for Matsatsantsa a Pitori to achieve this, and depending on the outcome of the Ajax Cape Town-Santos match last night, they will have to beat Bloemfontein Celtic away at Seisa Ramabodu on Sunday.

The championship title battle has been a two-horse race between United and Ajax lately.

The Mother City team has also promised their players a mouthwatering 40 percent of the prize money if they win the league.

Sharing 50 percent of the prize effectively means players and the technical team would share R5 million.

Roughly calculated this suggests that with 26 players and about four technical staff members the players could easily get R167 000 each.

"We must just win this league because it has always been my dream to achieve this," said Sibiya, the Orlando Pirates goal poacher of the 1960s and 1970s.

Looking at the log it seems Sibiya's boys will achieve their goal considering that Sunday's opponents, Phunya SeleSele, have been inconsistent.

Ajax, who will be away to Lamontville Golden Arrows, are likely to encounter little resistance from Abafana Bes'thende at King Zwelithini stadium.

The PSL will have replica trophies displayed at both venues.

Fans, particularly in Mangaung, are expected to give the matches a cup final atmosphere.

Clearly, the outcome will come down to what coach Gavin Hunt of United and Craig Rosslee of Ajax have up their sleeves in the coming battles.

The PSL, on the other hand, can proudly look back at a season that had less controversies, which is why their fixtures are ending on schedule.

Also, new sponsors coming on board and putting up such massive prize for winning the championship must augur well for the confidence of the league as it strives to become among the most well-run leagues in the world.

To crown it all, the league title is not going on the shelves of the usual suspects like the more well sponsored teams such as Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns or Orlando Pirates.

For only R20 the Premiership action has been more than an entertainment bargain for fans.