SuperSport United CEO Stanley Matthews, in an exclusive interview with SoccerClub, revealed that he believes that the PSL has handled the disruptions caused by the coronavirus better than big league across the world such as the Bundesliga and La Liga, writes DEAN WORKMAN.

The league has been suspended since March following the regulations put in place by the government to combat the spread of the global pandemic in South Africa.

With the world desperate to get back to some sort of normality the league has been working hard behind the scenes to put all the necessary procedures in place to ready themselves for the return of football according to Matthews, who is also confident of finding a way to conclude the season.

‘We want to complete the season. That’s our first prize, and you know, within the parameters that exist in front of us from a regulatory point of view, you know, from governments from the presidency from the Minister of police, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of sport, all the regulatory processes that need to be complied with, is what we want to comply with. And if we can comply with all those regulatory environments and the health and safety requirements, and complete the season, that’s our first part, how we get there is complicated,’ Matthews told SoccerClub.

‘It’s a moving target with lots of complexity. And something that, you know, we continuously have to revise literally on a daily basis. But we do feel that we are in the position that when the timing is right when it’s appropriate, and when it’s safe and when all protocol has been complied with, we do have a positive sense that we can complete the season.

‘We can’t see ourselves as victims in a situation we have to adapt and I think that as an organisation by and large, the PSL is done exceptionally well.

‘We get daily updates from the World League forum. We’re on par if not better than where some of the biggest leagues in the world including the Bundesliga and La Liga.

‘The league (PSL) are holding constant talks of the structures in place to regulate return to play protocols so we in a very good position in that way. We’ve done the steps behind the scenes, we’ve got the support of the government, we’ve embraced all our stakeholders, they know where we standing and we are united as a football fraternity, all 32 clubs.

‘We all wanting a positive resolution to at least satisfying the requirements of the season before we can take stock and look at the way forward for next season.’