The Tsamaya League embodies Bill Shankly’s football conviction
For a league that caters for the 35-year-olds and older who still play merely to keep fit, the quality of football is seriously competitive.
Being at the Tlakula High School Ground in Kwa-Thema on Sundays, when there’s Tsamaya Masters League football on, you’ll immediately understand why the sport is by far the most popular in this country.
I’ve been at the venue a few times in the last few weeks for the Siyadlala Cup – the Tsamaya League’s flagship cup competition – and I’ve found the experience rather interesting.
Firstly because the place is invariably full on match days, notwithstanding the absence of spectator stands.
It was the league chairperson George Ngoma who told me after the cup final, two weekends ago, that they appreciate that teams who were knocked out of the cup still came to the games to show their support.
Secondly, and most importantly, because the football on the pitch is of good quality.
For a league that caters for the 35 year olds and older who still play merely to keep fit, the quality of football is seriously competitive.
Also read: New Langaville soccer club launching
And so is the players’ attitude towards the game, as is evident by the good physical shape that many of them are still in.
The stiffness of the competition was best articulated by Ngoma when I interviewed him after the RDP Masters were crowned the cup champions.
RDP had to dig deep to beat Rekaufela 1-0 in that final – a goal which came via a set-piece, scored by second-half substitute Master Lemako.
I want to congratulate Rekaufela. They lived up to my words, to say do not be surprised to not see the top-seeded teams in the final, and they produced a very beautiful game today.
Rekaufela’s exploits on the pitch also helped them enjoy overwhelming support among the spectators for the final against RDP.
Also read: Soccer tournament raises awareness about GBV
It must be said, though, that that kind of a thing is a global phenomenon when a team that is as dominant as the latter plays against the underdog.
People often start wishing for it to lose.
And the supporters were truly passionate and desperate for a Rekaufela win, which almost materialised, as there was very little to separate the finalists.
That, for me, showed just how seriously Rekaufela took the competition.
All of this has reminded me of former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly’s famous ‘life and death’ quote.
I have come to realise that perhaps Shankly wasn’t going over the top when he asserted, “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
Follow us on: 
