THE Betway Premiership season finally kicks off on Saturday when Royal AM face Cape Town City (3pm start) at Harry Gwala Stadium.
We choose who we think will finish in positions five to eight in the league...
CAPE TOWN CITY | MODERATE
Where home is at: Cape Town Stadium
The man in the hot seat: Eric Tinkler
Tinkler is renowned for managing to get his teams to play like he did as a player – with great heart, grit and determination. Tinkler’s teams are hard-working and never pull out of a fight, irrespective of the opposition.
Star Player: Haashim Domingo
He should be itching to get in on the action following an uneventful spell at Raja Casablanca last season, when he played just nine matches. Going into his 10th season in the professional ranks, he is sure to want to play regularly.
THE OUTLOOK
For a while in the MTN8 semi-final first leg, the Citizens shone brightly, with City playing good, attacking football. At that moment, you thought, ‘okay, here’s a club that’s going to excite in the coming campaign’.
Fifth last season, it is unlikely they will do any better this time around, although they should be a much more solid outfit, given the arrival of experienced campaigners Kamohelo Mokotjo, Fortune Makaringe and Domingo.
Tinkler sounds excited about Prince Tjiueza, who joins fellow Namibian Aprocious Petrus.
Last season: Fifth
Best finish: Second (2021/22)
Prediction: Fifth
TS GALAXY | EXPLOSIVE
Where home is at: Mbombela Stadium
The man in the hot seat: Sead Ramovic
The German coach was on the verge of joining Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca, but the move collapsed. The 45-year-old remains at the helm of The Rockets, with the aim of shooting for the skies.
Star Player: Puso Dithejane
The former Kaizer Chiefs development player is one of the country’s most promising talents. He was pretty impressive in pre-season, and scored in matches against both Chiefs and German Bundesliga outfit Augsburg.
THE OUTLOOK
TS Galaxy losing players at the end of each season is common practice. This time around it was the influential Lehlohonolo Mojela, who now turns out in the colours of Stellenbosch FC.
Do not, however, see that as a sign that The Rockets will struggle, as evidenced by their acquisition of Siphesihle Maduna, Victor Letsoalo and Thamsanqa Masiya, to name just three.
Ramovic is also a shrewd coach. He is a brilliant man-manager, with the ability to motivate his players, and a top-class tactician who will see Galaxy striving to make up for narrowly missing out on continental football.
Last season: Sixth
Best finish: Sixth (2023/24)
Prediction: Sixth
KAIZER CHIEFS | REVIVAL
Where home is at: FNB Stadium
The man in the hot seat: Nasreddine Nabi
The Tunisian comes highly recommended, but can he turn things around at a Chiefs side seeking to avoid going a decade without a trophy?
Star Player: Gaston Sirino
The Uruguayan joined from Mamelodi Sundowns with expectations high that he will be a driving force in Amakhosi’s resurgence. He has the talent and experience, no doubt, but there are fears that Chiefs could have again signed a fading former Brazilians star.
THE OUTLOOK
Surely it can’t get any worse for Amakhosi, or can it?
Tenth in the previous season, Chiefs are looking to avoid going a decade without a trophy, and there’s a general belief that they will at least finish in a better position.
They have made some commendable signings in Fiacre Ntwari, Rushwin Dortley, Njabulo Blom, Bradley Cross and Inacio Miguel to shore up defensively.
But where are the goals going to come from?
Ranga Chivaviro and Christian Saile were disappointing in the last campaign, and it will take some doing from Nabi to get them firing this time.
Last Season: 10th
Best finish: Champions (2003/04, 2004/05, 2012/13, 2014/15)
Predicted finish: Seventh
SEKHUKHUNE UNITED | SAME-SAME
Where home is at: Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
The man in the hot seat: Lehlohonolo Seema
The coach from Lesotho is back at the club after a fall-out with management saw him being kicked out late in the previous season. Seema is maturing as a coach, and a second continental campaign can only mean more technical and tactical growth for the former Orlando Pirates player.
Star Player: Linda Mntambo
He is one of the Premiership’s oldest players at 35, but Mntambo remains a key figure. He will once again provide leadership from the heart of the field.
THE OUTLOOK
The departure of Bafana international Elias Mokwana for north Africa could hamper the club’s attacking prowess somewhat.
Back in the CAF Confederation Cup for a second bite, Sekhukhune could well be focused on trying to reach the knockout stages of the continent’s secondary competition, and thus find themselves struggling a bit domestically.
Most interesting, perhaps, will be how having three coaches will serve them. Granted, Macdonald Makhubedu has been appointed technical director, while Kaitano Tembo is the assistant to Seema, although all three have been the club’s head coach in the past.
Last season: Fourth
Best finish: Fourth (2023/24)
Prediction: Eighth