Sometimes we have to admit to our mistakes and fall on our own swords.
And it’s time for the South African Football Association (Safa) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to swallow their pride and do the right thing.
Up until this week, SA soccer bosses have tried to wash their hand of the mess of Ndorogate.
But after Monday’s South Gauteng High Court ruling in favour of Ajax Cape Town against their relegation from the PSL over striker Tendai Ndoro’s eligibility to play, it’s time to take the hit and move on.
With the 2018/19 league season scheduled to kick off on August 3 - less than a month away - the PSL can’t possibly take this matter further in the Courts.
Safa and PSL left the Ajax matter to arbitrator William Mokhari to decide the Urban Warriors’ fate.
And his decision was to punish Ajax by ruling against Ndoro’s status to play - after the PSL had already cleared him against Fifa’s rule against players turning out for three clubs in a season.
Not only that, but he took the points won by Ajax and Ndoro and award them to their rivals.
The PSL undermined themselves again by dealing with a different club more leniently.
The consequences were that the relegation playoffs were ruled null and void.
That means that next season is in jeopardy.
At every turn, the PSL looked indecisive when applying their own rules or unaware of their own rules.
In the worst-case scenario, they used rules to manipulate the situation to their own liking.
But let’s not make any accusations - I’m sure they have enough legal matters on their plate as it is.
Yesterday, the PSL’s decision makers had a meeting to decide what their next would be after Ajax’s landmark court win.
And instead of challenging the decision in the Supreme Court of Appeals, they should realise that the blame for this mess lies on their shoulders, because not only Ajax will have recourse, but so will every other club with an interest in this.
What they MUST do, is expand the league from 16 teams to 18 to include Ajax Cape Town, relegated Platinums Stars - now Cape Umoya United - and promoted Highlands Park and playoff winners Black Leopards.
Still that would do those teams a fat lot of good.
At the end of last month, player contracts expired, meaning that those clubs have lost players that could have helped them in the campaign ahead.
The PSL and Safa must look at this mess and realise now that they are short-sighted at best.
South African football is a moerse mess and only they can mix it. And for once guys, don’t make a decision made out of pride - show some real leadership.