2011–12 Premier Soccer League

South Africa's 2011–12 Premier Soccer League season (known as the ABSA Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the sixteenth since its establishment. Orlando Pirates were the defending champions, having won their third PSL title, and in the process ended SuperSport United's 3 year grip on the championship. The season kicked off on 12 August 2011 and ended on 19 May 2012.[13][14]

Premier Soccer League
Season2011–12
ChampionsOrlando Pirates
4th PSL title
Champions LeagueOrlando Pirates
Confederation CupSupersport United (via domestic cup)
Matches played240
Goals scored582 (2.43 per match)
Top goalscorerSiyabonga Nomvethe (20 goals)
Biggest home winSuperSport United 7–0 Maritzburg United
(14 October 2011)[1]
Biggest away winBlack Leopards 2–5 Moroka Swallows
(4 May 2012)[2]
Black Leopards 1–4 Amazulu
(22 April 2012)[3]
Ajax Cape Town 0–3 Mamelodi Sundowns
(17 March 2012)[4]
Santos 2–5 Mamelodi Sundowns
(30 November 2011)[5]
Golden Arrows 0–3 Bloemfontein Celtic
(13 August 2011)[6]
Highest scoringBlack Leopards 2–5 Moroka Swallows
(4 May 2012)[7]
Platinum Stars 3–4 Orlando Pirates
(22 February 2012)[8]
Ajax Cape Town 4–3 Black Leopards
(21 December 2011)[9]
Santos 2–5 Mamelodi Sundowns
(30 November 2011)[10] SuperSport United 7–0 Maritzburg United
(14 October 2011)[11]
Longest winning run3 wins
Kaizer Chiefs
Mamelodi Sundowns
SuperSport United
Longest unbeaten run4 games
Mamelodi Sundowns
SuperSport United
Maritzburg United
Longest losing run4 games
Santos
Average attendance7,120 [12]

16 teams contested the season, including two newly promoted teams – yo-yo club Jomo Cosmos[15] – who were promoted for the second time in 3 seasons after winning the 2010–11 National First Division champions' playoff 5–4 on penalties against Bay United, and Black Leopards[16] who came through a four-way promotion playoff, defeating Bay United 2–0 over a two-legged final. Orlando Pirates secured the title with a 4–2 win against Golden Arrows on 19 May 2012.[17] This was their fourth PSL title overall and the second in succession. At the bottom, Jomo Cosmos was automatically relegated to the First Division[18] while Santos was relegated via the PSL Playoff Tournament.[19][20][21]

TV rights

The PSL announced that current digital broadcaster SuperSport had won the rights to continue broadcasting the PSL after their current contract expired at the end of the 2011–12 season. The new broadcasting deal will commence at the start of the 2012–13 season and is said to be worth R2 billion over five years. As with their outgoing contract, SuperSport will continue to lease a select number of matches to free-to-air public broadcaster SABC.[22]

Teams

The team finishing 16th and last during the 2010–11 PSL seasonMpumalanga Black Aces – was automatically relegated from the PSL while the team finishing 15th – Vasco da Gama – was entered into a four-way relegation/promotion playoff with 3 teams from the 2010–11 National First Division season, where they were comfortably beaten 4–2 on aggregate by Black Leopards in the semi-finals and thus relegated from the PSL. As it was, both Black Aces and Vasco had been promoted in the previous season, so they each spent a single season in the top flight before going straight back down.[citation needed]

Jomo Cosmos and Black Leopards had finished first and second in the Inland Stream of the 2010–11 National First Division season. Cosmos, as champions of the Inland Stream, faced off against the champions of the Coastal Stream – Bay United – and beat them 5–4 on penalties after two goalless draws, thus securing promotion to the PSL. In the next phase of the relegation/promotion playoffs Black Leopards had taken on and defeated Vasco da Gama of the PSL over two legs and proceeded to reach the final of the playoffs, where they met Bay United. Leopards continued Bay United's heartbreaking end to their season by defeating them over two legs to earn a return to the PSL after two seasons out of the top flight.[citation needed]

Stadiums and locations

Football teams in South Africa tend to use multiple stadiums over the course of a season for their home games. The following table will only indicate the stadium used most often by the club for their home games

TeamLocation of training fieldProvinceHome venueCapacity
Ajax Cape TownCape Town (Parow)Western CapeCape Town Stadium55,000
AmaZuluDurban (Durban North)Kwazulu-NatalMoses Mabhida Stadium54,000
Bidvest WitsJohannesburg (Braamfontein)GautengBidvest Stadium5,000
Black LeopardsPolokwaneLimpopoPeter Mokaba Stadium45,000
Bloemfontein CelticBloemfonteinFree StateSeisa Ramabodu Stadium20,000
Free State StarsPhuthaditjhabaFree StateCharles Mopeli Stadium35,000
Golden ArrowsUmlaziKwazulu-NatalKing Zwelithini Stadium10,000
Jomo CosmosJohannesburgGautengMakhulong Stadium15,000
Kaizer ChiefsJohannesburg (Soweto)GautengFNB Stadium (Soccer City)94,700
Mamelodi SundownsPretoria (Arcadia)GautengLoftus Versfeld Stadium52,000
Maritzburg UnitedPietermaritzburgKwazulu-NatalHarry Gwala Stadium10,700
Moroka SwallowsJohannesburg (Soweto)GautengDobsonville Stadium24,000
Orlando PiratesJohannesburg (Soweto)GautengOrlando Stadium36,400
Platinum StarsRustenburg (Phokeng)North WestRoyal Bafokeng Stadium45,000
SantosCape Town (Lansdowne)Western CapeAthlone Stadium25,000
Supersport UnitedPretoria (Atteridgeville)GautengLucas Moripe Stadium28,900

Personnel and kits

TeamManagerSupplierShirt sponsor
Ajax Cape Town Maarten StekelenburgAdidasMTN
AmaZulu Roger PalmgrenAdidasSPAR
Bidvest Wits Roger De SaNikeBidvest
Black Leopards Sunday ChidzambwaUmbroMTN
Bloemfontein Celtic Clinton LarsenReebokMTN
Free State Stars Steve KomphelaUmbroBonitas
Golden Arrows Ernst MiddendorpMilléMTN
Jomo Cosmos Jomo SonoPuma
Kaizer Chiefs Vladimir VermezovićNikeVodacom
Mamelodi Sundowns Johan NeeskensNikeUbuntu Botho
Maritzburg United Ian PalmerHummel
Moroka Swallows Gordon IgesundPumaVW
Orlando Pirates Júlio César LealAdidasVodacom
Platinum Stars Owen Da GamaPumaRoyal Bafokeng
Santos Boebie SolomonsWinnerEngen
Supersport United Gavin HuntUnder ArmourDStv

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Ajax CT Foppe de HaanRetirement21 May 2011[23]End of season Maarten Stekelenburg21 June 2011[24]
Orlando Pirates Ruud KrolEnd of contractJune 2011[25]End of season Júlio César Leal22 June 2011[26]
Amazulu Manqoba MngqithiSacked18 September 2011[27]15th Roger Palmgren18 September 2011[28]
Black Leopards Sunday ChidzambwaRedeployed26 October 2011[29] Vladislav Heric26 October 2011[30]
Santos Boebie SolomonsRedeployed8 December 2011[31]14th Duncan Crowie8 December 2011[32]
Platinum Stars Owen Da GamaSuspended9 March 2012[33]13th Cavin Johnson & Allan Freese9 March 2012
Orlando Pirates Júlio César LealSacked12 March 2012[34] Augusto Palacios12 March 2012[35]
Kaizer Chiefs Vladimir VermezovicSacked12 April 2012[36] Ace Khuse12 March 2012
Santos Duncan CrowieCaretaker period ended19 April 2012[37]15th Mart Nooij19 April 2012[38]
Black Leopards Vladislav HericRedeployed8 May 2012[39]14th Sunday Chidzambwa8 May 2012

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Orlando Pirates (C, Q)3017763926+1358Qualification for 2013 CAF Champions League
2Moroka Swallows30151144834+1456
3SuperSport United3015963923+1654Qualification for 2013 CAF Confederation Cup
4Mamelodi Sundowns30141064423+2152
5Kaizer Chiefs3014883523+1250
6Free State Stars30146103831+748
7AmaZulu30101193224+841
8Bloemfontein Celtic30118113633+341
9Ajax Cape Town30117124249−740
10Platinum Stars30106143739−236
11Maritzburg United30713102638−1234
12Bidvest Wits30712113138−733
13Golden Arrows3095164048−832
14Black Leopards3078153658−2229
15Santos (R)3076173448−1427PSL Playoff Tournament
16Jomo Cosmos (R)30213152446−2219Relegation to National First Division
Updated to match(es) played on 19 May 2012. Source: Standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated

Results

Home \ AwayAJXAMZBVWBLPBLCFSSGOLJCKZCMLSMARMORORLPLASANSUP
Ajax Cape Town2–40–24–32–03–14–11–12–10–31–12–21–13–21–10–0
AmaZulu4–02–00–12–00–11–00–00–00–10–00–10–11–22–21–2
Bidvest Wits1–13–10–01–31–32–20–11–12–30–01–33–12–11–00–1
Black Leopards3–11–41–22–21–32–01–10–21–20–02–50–22–32–11–0
Bloemfontein Celtic4–21–10–02–01–03–23–10–00–01–11–11–00–12–01–2
Free State Stars1–02–10–02–22–13–11–01–20–24–10–11–00–02–01–1
Golden Arrows0–11–21–14–20–32–03–10–01–14–12–02–43–11–31–2
Jomo Cosmos1–20–00–02–21–22–20–21–10–21–10–21–22–12–22–2
Kaizer Chiefs2–00–02–10–12–02–11–22–12–00–13–02–11–00–01–2
Mamelodi Sundowns2–30–01–15–12–11–00–00–00–11–04–00–01–23–10–1
Maritzburg United0–21–12–20–12–00–22–03–10–01–00–12–12–11–10–0
Moroka Swallows3–21–13–04–10–02–13–22–00–22–22–20–02–13–21–1
Orlando Pirates1–00–00–01–02–13–12–02–13–20–01–01–11–01–03–0
Platinum Stars2–00–10–22–22–10–11–04–11–20–01–10–03–44–10–0
Santos0–11–23–11–12–10–11–21–02–12–52–11–33–01–20–1
SuperSport United2–10–12–13–00–11–12–10–02–01–37–00–01–22–01–0
Updated to match(es) played on 19 May 2012. Source: Premier Soccer League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Statistics

Top goalscorersAs of May 19, 2012

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Siyabonga NomvetheMoroka Swallows20
2 Eleazar RodgersSantos13
3 Edward ManqeleFree State Stars11
4 Lehlohonolo MajoroKaizer Chiefs10
David MathebulaMoroka Swallows10
Benni McCarthyOrlando Pirates10
Katlego MphelaMamelodi Sundowns10
8 Luyanda BacelaBloemfontein Celtic9
Nyasha MushekwiMamelodi Sundowns9
10 Khama BilliatAjax Cape Town8
Thamsanqa GabuzaGolden Arrows8
Kingston NkhathaBlack Leopards8

Last updated: 19 May 2012
Source: Premier Soccer League

Awards

The 2011–12 PSL Awards ceremony was held on 27 May 2012.

PSL Footballer of the Year

The PSL Footballer of the Year was awarded to Siyabonga Nomvethe.[40]

Palesa ShabalalaThe PSL Player of the Season was also awarded to Siyabonga Nomvethe.[40]

PSL Players' Player of the Season

The PSL Players' Player of the Season was also awarded to Siyabonga Nomvethe.[40]

PSL Red Hot Young Player of the Season

The PSL Red Hot Young Player of the Season was awarded to Ronwen Williams.[40]

PSL Coach of the Season

The PSL Coach of the Season was awarded to Gordon Igesund.[40]

PSL Top Goalscorer

The PSL Top Goalscorer award went to Siyabonga Nomvethe.[40]

PSL Goalkeeper of the Season

The PSL Goalkeeper of the Season award went to Wayne Sandilands.[40]

PSL Absa-lutely Awesome Goal of the Season

The PSL Absa-lutely Awesome Goal of the Season award went to Benni McCarthy.[40]

See also

References