Chairperson of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza honoured three individuals for their contribution to football with the Chairman’s Award at the recent #PSLAwards20 event.
SuperSport United chief executive Stan Matthews, former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso ‘Jingles’ Mosimane and long-serving broadcaster Alvin Naicker were the three recipients of the award.
Naicker is the head of the production at SuperSport and Khoza said of him, “This gentleman has not only been there since inception, but it is also on his broad shoulders that the quality and innovation in the television coverage of the PSL product rest.
“The PSL product competes in real-time with the EPL [English Premier League], the most followed and successful league in the world.
“It now holds its own and all this is thanks to the studiousness, tenacity and grim persistence of Alvin Naicker. Enablers like Naicker are never recognised as we enjoy the fruits of their toil without ever seeing or hearing from them.”
On Matthews, Dr Khoza said, “If ever there was an award for the most successful CEO, then this hard working enabler would be multiple winners. He takes the punches in order for his people to succeed with minimum interference.
“He, himself pack a massive punch. Among his successes is the creating of space and support for the rise of the most successful coach in South Africa. Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in recognising and applauding this enabler – Stanley Matthews.”
Khoza said of Mosimane, “In 2013, I made a prediction. It was at the PSL Awards at Gold Reef City. I used a salutation ya Sepedi, Phumlani Msibi – the PSL encyclopedia will help you recall, ‘shate!, shate!, o a sa reng shate wa duma’. “I made a prediction then that this recipient would bring to South Africa the next Caf Champions League star.
“In 2016, he fulfilled my prediction. I said then that the singularity of his attention to detail was such that he would cement his position as the most successful club coach in South Africa – which he has just done. Today as I recognise his achievements with a Chairman’s Award, congratulations Pitso Mosimane.”
Jingles, as Mosimane is popularly known in the football fraternity, has since left Masandawana to coach one of the most decorated clubs on the continent, Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
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