FOUR THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE 2020 TNM SUPER LEAGUE

 

This article highlights 4 major talking points football-starved fans need to look forward to ahead of the delayed 2020 TNM Super League season. These points are:

1.      1. Tight Race for the League Title

2019 season Champions: Nyasa Big Bullets

Since the Super League became a 16-team league in 2016, competition for the title has always been a tightly contested affair. That year, Kamuzu Barracks’ Leicester City-esque run saw the Lilongwe-based soldiers win the title with 61 points – 1 point ahead of Nyasa Big Bullets. The following season, Be Forward Wanderers claimed the championship after amassing 69 points, 2 points ahead of second-placed Nyasa Big Bullets. The 2018 season turned out a little different in that Bullets ended their 2-year title drought by claiming the top spot with an 8 points gap ahead of second-placed Wanderers. The 2019 title race went back to basics, as Bullets nipped the title on the final day with a difference of 1 point ahead of runners up Wanderers. Based on this trend, there is every reason to anticipate another tightly contested race this season. Besides a close race, another reason to be excited ahead of the 2020 TNM Super League season is the question about which team will be crowned league champions? Will Bullets defend the title and claim a third successive title? Will Wanderers bounce back from the frustration of enduring an empty 2019 season? The heavy transfer activity that Silver Strikers have conducted, is it a sign that the Bankers are about to wake up from their slumber? Will Blue Eagles, Kamuzu Barracks, Civo, or even Moyale pull a shocker? 2020 will definitely be one hell of an exciting season.

 

2.     2. Administrators’ Professionalism or Lack Thereof

Stewards trying to control raging fans

Much as the management of the local game has embraced some semblance of professionalism over the past few seasons, there remains a huge room for improvement. Unfortunately, from the information that has been unveiled so far, it appears some of the key changes won’t happen any time soon. Here, for starters, we are referring to the increment of the league sponsorship package, particularly the amount given to eventual league winners. When one compares the amount that teams spend to fulfill all their league assignments and the MK 15,000,000 reserved for the league winners, it is no surprise that the corporate world and well-wishers shun sponsoring Super League teams. That aside, there remains some management missteps that need to be rectified. For instance, the lack of consistency in handing out Man of the Match awards is a huge disappointment. Similarly, last season’s reports that referees had gone for a number of games without getting paid seriously compromise the already shambolic quality of match officiation. Another consistent complain is the lack of a synchronized league fixture. It is not acceptable that some teams should be on 20 games while others are on 16 games. Of course, this scenario is partly caused by the Flames’ engagements, which excuses teams that have contributed more than 4 players from playing league games when the Flames have an assignment, but SULOM and FAM need to find a way to make sure that teams that are excused catch up with the rest as soon as possible. Doing this will bring fairness in the battle for the championship, top 8, and relegation.

 

3.     3.The Relegation Battle

Returning relegation victims: Red Lions

Given the lack of prize money earned for finishing in any position outside the top 3 and the financial strain that most teams already face, the battle for relegation from the Super League is not treated as serious as it should be. Matter of fact, to some teams, relegation is actually a blessing in disguise, especially to their bankrollers. Nevertheless, there has been interesting trends on relegation since the Super League became a 16-team league. The first observation, which is contrary from popular perception, is that newcomers have been fairing really well in terms of avoiding relegation. 2017 is the last season when more than 1 newcomer (Blantyre United and Chitipa) got relegated. Will Ekwendeni Hammers, MAFCO, and Red Lions preserve this trend? Second observation is that representatives from northern region seem to have mastered the art of avoiding relegation. One need to go back to 2017 to find the last time a team from the northern region failed to survive the chop. Unlike the northern region, the central region got hit hard last season with all three casualties coming from its base. On a positive note, the relegation of 3 teams from the central region has helped somewhat equalize representation in the league across the three regions (N = 5, C = 6, S = 5). It will be interesting to see if the 2020 season will offset this balance. Lastly, in the EPL, 40 points is usually the mark that guarantees safety from relegation. Here in Malawi, Red Lions’ relegation in 2018 despite accumulating 33 points seems to suggest that 34 points is the safety mark this far. The battle to accumulate 34 points starts this weekend.

Year	Position 13	Position 14	Position 15	Position 16
2019	Mzuni 32	Dwangwa 32	Mlatho 23	Masters 20
2018	Moyale 35	Red Lions 33	MAFCO 29	Nchalo 17
2017	Dwangwa 31	Wizards 27	BT Unit 24	Chitipa 16
2016	Wizards 30	Karonga 27	CIVO 25	Max  8

Key:

Grey = Northern region

Red = Central region

Green = Southern region

Bold & Italic = New entrant

 

4.     Fans Fun and Frustrations

Match day spice: Football fans

Without fans, the game of football is nothing. For evidence, one need not look further than the European games played in empty stadiums because of Covid-19. One lesson that the football fraternity has re-learned from these closed door games is the important role that the 12^th man plays to liven up the atmosphere in a stadium. Similarly, the role that the fans play here in Malawi cannot be underscored. Fans from Nsanje to Chitipa go to length to hype up the atmosphere in stadiums. Whenever one goes to Nyasa Big Bullets games, one is guaranteed to be entertained but also informed by “Yamikani Fodya” and his crew. Like Bullets, Wanderers also has a plethora of diehard fans that entertain the Blue faithful while irking the haters. Think of how the “Mayi wa Docas” hit headlines during the 2018 season. Lilongwe-based clubs also have lots of fans worth recognizing. If Germany has a yellow wall in Dortmund, Malawi has the Civo rastas in Lilongwe. Win or lose, when high on Cha Nkhota-Kota, the Civo Rastas are a marvel to watch as they chant their specially choreographed songs. At Nankhaka Stadium, the M’memo Boys have their own Nyau crew that energizes them when playing on their own backyard. It’s no surprise why Nankhaka Stadium has become a famous cemetery for giants lately. Definitely, the 2020 season will bring more of these adorable scenes. But much as fans spice up games, there are moments when they ruin games. Even though this negative trend has been on a down spiral of late, it continues to resurface during the course of a season. A penultimate case is last season’s FISD cup encounter between Silver Strikers vs Blue Eagles encounter, which was ruined by disgruntled Bankers fans. This ugly trait is not exclusive to Silver Strikers fans. Bullets, Wanderers, Moyale supporters have all been found guilty of this at one point or another. We hope the 2020 season will bring more of the bright side than the ugly side.

 

 

Definitely, the 2020 TNM Super League promises to bring exciting explosives. Hopefully, all stakeholders will do their part to ensure that the season goes down in history as a successful season. A season that posterity will look back with admiration and adulation. Otherwise, to the fans, brace yourselves. Get your umbrellas and raincoats ready. See you in the terraces!