Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi may end being very busy in The Rainbow Nation up till September/October, if plans by the league body to extend the season into the last quarter of the year materialise, megasportsarena.com gathered.
With coronavirus having put things on hold for now, Akpeyi and other players in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) have been eagerly awaiting information on when they will get back to action, but that does not appear to be coming soon.
In contrast with hopes of an early return to action, the former Heartland of Owerri and Warri Wolves of Delta State shot-stopper has learnt from soccer lords in Nelson Mandela’s country that a proposal is already in the cards to wrap up the campaign in October.
That means the Super Eagles’ star, who was Nigeria’s oldest squad member in winning bronze at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where the often pilloried shot-stopper regain his number one shirt, will now have to continue waiting patiently for more updates, as the season remains suspended.
The Absa Premier League has yet to issue a formal update on the situation facing the outcome of the campaign amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown in place in the country, but latest feelers indicate that there is a growing consensus to complete all the outstanding matches, even if they will run until October.
The cheering news for Akpeyi, whose career in the country that is also known as Azania began at Chippa United, is coming from AmaZulu’s general manager, Lunga Sokhela, who has provided some insight into discussions taking place within the PSL and its COVID-19 task team, which was assembled at the Board of Governors meeting on March 20.
As far as the cut-off date for the season’s completion is concerned, Sokhela added that no deadlines have been made by the PSL and provision has been made by FIFA to complete the current season whenever it is safe to do so.
Sokhela said during a virtual press conference: “From our side, we have also been trying to get information, and I guess we have to sympathise a little bit with the guys that are running the league, because they also rely on government’s guidance.
“Government also can’t give definitive answers because they are assisting people and still trying to figure out how the virus is spreading, etc. But what I can confirm is that in principle, clubs at the last BOG said they want to continue to finish the season.
“Now we saw last week the different [lockdown] levels, and we should only really be coming back when we’re at level 1. We don’t know when that is going to be, but my understanding is that the task team is going to engage with government and see if we can go back sooner.
“As far as I understand, they’re looking at a proposal where perhaps we could start when it’s at level 3. The exact details of that are being handled by the task team, so we await that.
“There was no cut-off date. I think the rules allow for the season to be extended in circumstances like this, and clubs have taken the stand that even if we finish in September or October, then that must be the case. We have to finish the season.”
