The new Africa Super League (ASL) can play out in two ways.
Either Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe’s brain child turns the continent into a powerhouse of the game or the game is headed to the heart of darkness.
My apologies to Joseph Conrad for copping and capping down the title of his infamous novella title.
But let’s be real. How is the ASL any different from the European Super League (ESL) that triggered almost every football lover worldwide?
To be fair, this isn’t a breakaway league. Unlike the ESL, it’s not outside of the established football authorities, with Caf administrating the competition with the backing of global body Fifa.
Wednesday’s announcement in Tanzania was all sunshine and roses, but there was little actual information of how it will actually “help” football.
Explaining the next phase Motsepe,saying: “The intention is for kickoff in August 2023, and over the next few months there will be a process of engagement with various stakeholders.
“We will also explain to domestic competitions how this will affect their fixtures. At the end of the day, the future of club football is based on commercial competitiveness.
“The face of African football will never be the same again.”
But will it really? With 24 “elite clubs” - eight from the three regions of north Africa, west and central Africa and finally south and east - set to participate in the tournament, what happens to the rest?
It’s expected that South Africa will be represented by Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
But it will be nothing more than a money grab unless there is a pathway for the rest of the league to eat with the cheeseboys.
While Caf have made it clear that they will announce how it will all work in the near future, sporting merit must be part of the plan.
Whether you win a place in the ASL through the Champions League and Confedertion Cup or even your domestic league, the right to play in the new money spinner must be open to the entire continent.