OPINION: Find a sustainable model or sell Swallows

Forget what you’ve been told about the red tape when PSL bosses are trying to secure sponsorship deals for their teams because that is a conversation for another day.

ALSO READ: PSL charges Moroka Swallows for no-show

Most clubs are probably within their rights to feel aggrieved because it does seem like there are double standards when it comes to approving who can come on board and inject some much needed funds into some DStv Premiership clubs who are struggling to make ends meet.

Take Moroka Swallows for instance, their players downed tools and failed to pitch for league matches against Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows last month due to an ongoing pay dispute.

In an attempt to get sympathy, Swallows CEO and social media enthusiast David Mogashoa has been telling everyone who cares to listen that the R2-million or so monthly grant they get from the PSL is not enough to run his club efficiently.

His reasons are that the club’s monthly salary bill is R4.2-million. I think that’s where the problem lies and Mogashoa gets no pass from me because this equals bad management on so many levels and raises so many questions.

Firstly, what financial model are they using to keep the club afloat? And secondly, who balances their books and did that person sleep on the job and not alert them of future problems if they didn’t cut down on huge salaries.

When experienced campaigners in the form of Andile Jali, Lantshene Phalane, Dumisani Zuma and Gabadinho Mhango all joined Swallows at the beginning of the season, my initial thought was that their capture couldn’t have come cheap.

I also questioned how the Dube Birds were going to keep their heads above water with a salary bill that obviously ballooned as their financial problems were well-documented from previous seasons.

Now the chickens have come home to roost after the PSL rightfully charged the beleaguered club for bringing the league into disrepute. They will appear before the league’s disciplinary committee next week Thursday to answer for their no-show.

This has been long coming, it’s not the first time that the once mighty Swallows finds itself embroiled in issues of non-payment. I never thought in a million years I’d see professional footballers go on strike and not honour a fixture. This was definitely a bad advert for South African football.

It is high time clubs challenge themselves to live within their means while still offering competitive salaries. It’s not good enough to just hand out big contracts without a proper plan and blaming the PSL for not approving betting company Goldrush to come on board as a sponsor won’t help either.

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If I’m a potential sponsor, I wouldn’t want to attach my name to a club that is poorly run and goes public about their poor financial management skills.

Ultimately, it boils down to good governance. No club can thrive by living beyond their means and expect not to take a hit.

Mogashoa and company should remodel their operations if the Birds are to fly high again or they should sell it to someone who can.