GSV Grading The Deal; University of Pretoria

Amatuks | University of Pretoria

The Ultimate Prize | The ABSA Premiership Trophy

The 2015/16 Premier Soccer League season is now officially underway, while football fanatics from far and wide all experience the mixed bag of emotions that come with being an avid football follower in such entertaining times, we at GSV have served you up a little morsel for thought as we begin to approach the end of the transfer window. Dished out for your reading pleasure, we present to you GSV Grading The Deal, were all the ABSA Premiership clubs will have their acquisitions dissected with the view of shedding more light on the shady world of transfer dealings. Enjoy!

ABSA Premiership

University of Pretoria Football Club

Signings

Vukile Mngqibisa

Transferred From: Polokwane City

DoB: November 28^th, 1987 (27)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender

Willem Mwedihanga

Transferred From: AmaZulu FC

DoB: January 7^th, 1986 (29)

Nationality: Namibian

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender, Fullback, Wingback (Right/ Centre)

Kabelo Lichaba

Transferred From: Polokwane City

DoB: September 25^th, 1986 (28)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Fullback, Wingback (Left)

Sibusiso Mthethwa

Transferred From: Free State Stars

DoB: March 26^th, 1991 (24)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Anchorman, Ball-Winning Midfielder, Box-To-Box Midfielder

Harry Edge

Transferred From: PEC Zwolle u/21 (Holland)

DoB: March 1^st, 1994 (21)

Nationality: New Zealand

Position/s: Anchorman, Ball-Winning Midfielder, Box-To-Box Midfielder, Deep-Lying Playmaker (Regista)

Bongani Nyathi

Transferred From: Platinum Stars

DoB: April 27^th, 1989 (26)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Attacking Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Trequartista

Getaneh Kebede

Transferred From: BidVest Wits (Loan)

DoB: April 2^nd, 1992 (23)

Nationality: Ethiopian

Position/s: Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Target-Man

Lennox Bacela

Transferred From: Orlando Pirates

DoB: April 13^th, 1983 (32)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Target Man

Sphamandla Dlamini

Transferred From: Free Agent

DoB: July 14^th, 1994 (21)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Poacher

Thabiso Nkoana

Transferred From: SuperSport United

DoB: October 28^th, 1992 (22)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Poacher

The Grand Stand View

Consistency will be the word for the season at the Tuks ABSA Stadium this season, AmaTuks have the potential to establish themselves as a legendary institution within the South African football kingdom and they will be looking to return to that enterprising brand of football which helped them elevate to where they are today. Gaffer, Sammy Troughton, has remained true to the recent club policy of looking towards more experienced recruits coming in through the transfer market to add some resilience to their otherwise youthful side. 13^th place did not reflect the quality within the team last season, the entire team will be eager to reinstate themselves as a truly premier club in the Premiership and the new acquisitions should add some nous and ability to the roster.

While this transfer policy does allow them to be a lot more competitive in many regards, it has stalled the progress of some promising younger players on the roster and there is a dire need for balance in the usage of personnel; the young talents add an exciting spark to the side that most teams cannot cope with, the experienced campaigners should be used to add to that talented nucleus and afford the club an optimal opportunity at success on and off the field.  With the middle part of the league becoming even more congested, 11 points separated 6^th from 15^th last season, AmaTuks will know that they will have to be far more consistent if they are to push back up the table and curb this downward spiral they seem to have been on for a couple of seasons; the new recruits mean that there are now a considerable number of quality and experienced campaigners available to the gaffer and we should be expecting to see the real University of Pretoria turning up more consistently this season.

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GSV Grading The Deal; SuperSport United

Matsatsantsa A Pitori | SuperSport United

The Ultimate Prize | The ABSA Premiership Trophy

The 2015/16 Premier Soccer League season is now officially underway, while football fanatics from far and wide all experience the mixed bag of emotions that come with being an avid football follower in such entertaining times, we at GSV have served you up a little morsel for thought as we begin to approach the end of the transfer window. Dished out for your reading pleasure, we present to you GSV Grading The Deal, were all the ABSA Premiership clubs will have their acquisitions dissected with the view of shedding more light on the shady world of transfer dealings. Enjoy!

ABSA Premiership

SuperSport United Football Club

Signings

Bongani Khumalo

Transferred From: Tottenham Hotspur (England)

DoB: January 6^th, 1987 (28)

Nationality: South African/ Swazi

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender, Ball-Playing Defender (Centre)

Gert Barends

Transferred From: Chippa United

DoB: August 4^th, 1988 (27)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender (Centre)

Michael Boxall

Transferred From: Wellington Phoenix (Australia)

DoB: August 18^th, 1988 (27)

Nationality: Australian

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender (Centre)

Grant Kekana

Transferred From: University of Pretoria

DoB: October 31^st, 1992 (22)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender, Ball-Playing Defender, Fullback, Wingback (Left/ Right/ Centre)

Dean Furman

Transferred From: Free Agent

DoB: June 22^nd, 1988 (27)

Nationality: South African/ English

Position/s: Anchorman, Ball-Winning Midfielder, Box-To-Box Midfielder, Deep-Lying Playmaker (Regista)

Dové Womé

Transferred From: Mamelodi Sundowns

DoB: June 8^th, 1991 (24)

Nationality: Togolese

Position/s: Attacking Midfielder, Advanced Forward, Trequartista, Deep-Lying Forward

Isaka Cernak

Transferred From: Central Coast Mariners (Australia)

DoB: April 9^th, 1989 (26)

Nationality: Australian/ Ugandan

Position/s: Attacking Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Inside Forward, Advanced Forward (Left/ Right/ Centre)

Ace Bhengu

Transferred From: Thanda Royal Zulu

DoB: November 19^th, 1989 (25)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Attacking Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Deep-Lying Forward, Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Target-Man

Fagrie Lakay

Transferred From: Santos FC

DoB: May 31^st, 1997 (18)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Trequartista, Advanced Forward, Deep-Lying Forward, Complete Forward, Poacher

The Grand Stand View

Legendary gaffer Gordon Igesund has wasted no time in stamping his mark on the SuperSport United squad; the tactician is a man renowned for favouring seasoned campaigners over a promising young talent when he casts his eye over talent worth adding to his squad, this knack for finding experienced players that add a distinct quality will be appreciated at a club where talented youngsters are produced by the bucket load every season. Success is the reason Matsatsantsa a Pitori looked to rope in the legendary gaffer, the man knows how to achieve success at the domestic level and he has a team with the talent, ambition, pedigree & resources to ensure that he has a fair shot at adding another League winners’ medal to his trophy cabinet.

SuperSport United have drawn the criticism of many clubs over the years due to their “pre-contract policy”, where the club offers pre-contracts to players with less than 6 months to run on their contracts, the players end up moving to Pretoria on a Bosman Transfer, as free agents, and the clubs they used to play for end up, more often than not, with mud on their faces as they seek to replace a first team player they lost for free. We cannot blame United for having the foresight and organisational efficiency to spot the incompetence or dalliance of their league rivals when it comes to player contracts, the club has managed to continually acquire the services of premier league level talent for peanuts while ensuring that they compile a competitive squad through great transfer deals and the excellent development of elite level ready talent. We should expect to see a much hungrier SuperSport United side this season; the gaffer has had ample time to build a squad that he believes will be in with a sure chance at competing for all major honours and his Australasian imports will have to prove just why their gaffer chose to bring them over to Mzansi. One un-SuperSport United like signing worth watching will be record breaking South African international, Fagrie Lakay, the potential laden wunderkind will be looking to prove his quality while developing further at a club that is world renowned for developing good talent; Fagrie is the calibre of player that United look to develop themselves, his addition may go along ways towards elevating the benchmark for a young player coming up the ranks in Tshwane.

GSV Grading The Deal; Polokwane City

Rise and Shine | Polokwane City

The Ultimate Prize | The ABSA Premiership Trophy

The 2015/16 Premier Soccer League season is now officially underway, while football fanatics from far and wide all experience the mixed bag of emotions that come with being an avid football follower in such entertaining times, we at GSV have served you up a little morsel for thought as we begin to approach the end of the transfer window. Dished out for your reading pleasure, we present to you GSV Grading The Deal, were all the ABSA Premiership clubs will have their acquisitions dissected with the view of shedding more light on the shady world of transfer dealings. Enjoy!

ABSA Premiership

Polokwane City Football Club

Signings

George Chigova

Transferred From: SuperSport United

DoB: March 4^th, 1991 (24)

Nationality: Zimbabwean

Position/s: Goalkeeper

Pule Kanopi

Transferred From: Highlands Park

DoB: March 4^th, 1991 (24)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Goalkeeper

Carlington Nyandombo

Transferred From: AmaZulu FC

DoB: December 25^th, 1985 (29)

Nationality: Zimbabwean

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender (Centre)

Sibusiso Mbonani

Transferred From: Witbank Sours

DoB: June 1^st, 1987 (28)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender (Centre)

Mfundo Phungwayo

Transferred From: Moroka Swallows

DoB: January 1^st, 1994 (21)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Fullback, Wingback (Right)

Punch Masenamela

Transferred From: Mamelodi Sundowns

DoB: October 17^th, 1986 (28)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Fullback, Wingback (Left)

Randy Ngobe

Transferred From: Witbank Spurs

DoB: May 1^st, 1991 (24)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Winger, Attacking Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Inside Forward (Left/ Right)

Nazier Jacobs

Transferred From: Milano United

DoB: December 21^st, 1990 (24)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Attacking Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Trequartista

The Grand Stand View

The hallmark of a great gaffer in Mzansi diski circles should be the level of success he manages to attain without the usage of superstar players, Kosta Papić has marked himself out as a truly great minder during his stints with Chippa United & Polokwane City respectively; a football man with a great appetite for good attacking football, Kostadin has revolutionised the manner in which we look at the smaller, less resourceful sides in our league with his fresh approach to dealing with opposition sides and affording his players the creative freedom to prove their pedigree as elite level footballers.

While one should be giving the Serbian born tactician a pat on the back for what he has achieved using “lesser pedigree” players since his arrival in Polokwane, one cannot help but wonder just how much further Rise & Shine could have risen had the gaffer been afforded the opportunity to add players that he fells will make his team more of a complete unit last season. The transfer market has been a busy time for many clubs looking to add to their squads, yet that may be an even more difficult task when sides are looking at some of your key players as possible additions to their rosters; Polokwane City have done incredibly well to not only retain the services of their spine from last season, but also succeeding in adding more quality to the squad and ensuring that they have the tools to finally break into that Top 8 and continue the great progress they have made since their formation in 2012. Defensive reinforcements were surely high up on the shopping list for the gaffer and his technical team, the club shipped in a mind boggling 60 goals last season, the most in the division, and the gaffer will know that some stronger defensive showings would have seen them finish much higher than the commendable 12^th place they managed in the season gone by; if the new acquisitions can help shore up that defence, we can expect to see more convincing yet entertaining performances coming out of the men from the North.

GSV Grading The Deal; Platinum Stars

Dikwena | Platinum Stars

The Ultimate Prize | The ABSA Premiership Trophy

The 2015/16 Premier Soccer League season is now officially underway, while football fanatics from far and wide all experience the mixed bag of emotions that come with being an avid football follower in such entertaining times, we at GSV have served you up a little morsel for thought as we begin to approach the end of the transfer window. Dished out for your reading pleasure, we present to you GSV Grading The Deal, were all the ABSA Premiership clubs will have their acquisitions dissected with the view of shedding more light on the shady world of transfer dealings. Enjoy!

ABSA Premiership

Platinum Stars Football Club

Signings

Mbongeni Mzimela

Transferred From: Chippa United

DoB: April 3^rd, 1985 (30)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Goalkeeper

Siboniso Gumede

Transferred From: Mpumalanga Black Aces

DoB: September 14^th, 1985 (29)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Cover Defender, Stopper Defender

Emmanuel Mathias

Transferred From: Mamelodi Sundowns

DoB: April 3^rd, 1986 (29)

Nationality: Togolese/ Nigerian

Position/s: Stopper Defender, Cover Defender

Siyabonga Zulu

Transferred From: Orlando Pirates

DoB: August 22^nd, 1993 (21)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Fullback, Wingback (Left)

Kulegani Madondo

Transferred From: AmaZulu FC

DoB: July 20^th, 1990 (25)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Anchorman, Ball-Winning Midfielder, Box-To-Box Midfielder

Robin Ngalande

Transferred From: BidVest Wits (Loan)

DoB: November 11^th, 1992 (22)

Nationality: Malawian

Position/s: Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Poacher

Bongi Ntuli

Transferred From: Mamelodi Sundowns (Loan)

DoB: March 28^th, 1991 (24)

Nationality: South African

Position/s: Advanced Forward, Complete Forward, Target-Man

The Grand Stand View

Dikwena will have entered the new season with a desire to rectify the wrongs of the season gone by, while reaffirming their status as a true Top 8 fixture regardless of their squad make-up; 11^th place is a disastrous return for a club with the pedigree Stars boast and the lack of consistency will be an issue they will need to address if they are to return to their winning ways and earn back their spot in the top half of the table.

The signings made by reappointed gaffer Cavin Johnson have gone a long way to reinforcing the roster while giving some players more competition for their places, which will aid in creating more of an ambitious atmosphere; although Stars have done excellently to retain the services of some of their premier talents, one cannot help but wonder if those same players haven’t become disillusioned with the stagnation of the club and have allowed complacency to creep into the entire squad due to their own dip in performances. Procuring the services of an elite level talent like Kulegani Madondo is a feather in Stars’ cap, the midfield anchorman will bring back that resilience we know them to have in the centre of the park and all the new signings will be eager to prove that they are the right men to help steer Dinaledi back to where they belong. One player worth watching with a keen eye will be goal poacher Bongi Ntuli, a player whose reputation seems to carry much weight even though he has yet to consistently show the class of a premier league or International level footballer in the sporadic appearances he has made over the last couple of seasons; Platinum Stars are known to take calculated risks when signing players that many would overlook, one prays that the potential within Bongi Ntuli will be allowed to flourish out in the North-West.