 |
| Photograph by Zwelizwe Ndhlovu |
As they say around my areas, Ke Dezember boss. This is the time where we will see the annual showcase of talent that PSL scouts have ignored for years exhibit their forgotten but incredible talents (we’ll discuss this later).
This is also the time where we see our beloved PSL stars returned to their roots and participate in a tournament. These stars risk an injury that can harm their careers and possibly end it just to play in these tournaments. But why? They surely do not get as much money from theses annual tournaments, so it must be for some other reason.
While sitting with colleagues we had this discussion and came up with a couple of reasons.
Groupies
When our PSL players return to grassroots soccer they return as heroes. They get lots of love (and hate from those who never made it) from ladies. With Soccer players having reputations of being players (excuse the pun) it is quite understandable why one would think that.
Freedom
How many times have you heard Mushin say he has no problem with showboating as long as you use it positively? Well, it is called showboating for a reason and that is to show off skills that have nothing to do with going forward but are there just to drive the crowd wild. Grassroots soccer gives the players that freedom that professional levels do not really allow.
Crowd
Let’s face it, Kasi tournament crowds are the liveliest crowds you will find in this country! And the biggest crowds you will probably play in front of in this country unless you play for Chiefs or Pirates.
Giving back
Grassroots tournaments are where most of our players came up and they feel that they need to remind people of where they come from so that no one thinks that they have sold out to European football and have forgotten our very own style here in Mzansi. In a way, they have danced in the big stages of the country and the world but sometimes they want to come back to their beginnings and just do one ballet for the masses.
