Ajax Cape Town top of the Log

Ajax Cape Town are the new PSL 2016/17 champions.

This makes their 51-year-old coach, Roger De Sá, the second South African mentor in a row to lift the coveted trophy, which carries prize money of R10 million.

Last season, the honour went to Pitso Mosimane, who is just a year older than De Sá.

In a surprise turn, defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns finished a lowly 11th, while the Phefeni Glamour Boys, Kaizer Chiefs, could manage only 10th position.

Continental giants, as Orlando Pirates have become known, just scraped through to a 13th-place finish.

Newcomers Baroka FC were the surprise package of this season’s race, finishing second, ahead of third-placed Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic in fourth.

Chippa United, who finished sixth last season, managed to retain the same spot on the log.

Another shock is the relegation of SuperSport United, who finished 16th. Polokwane City held on to the National First Division (NFD) play-off position, which is 5th.

Maritzburg United – who managed to scrape through last season, avoiding relegation by beating Jomo Cosmos and finishing 14th – have improved by two positions and finish the season placed 12th.

This is indeed a dramatic story. And you will find it on the official PSL website.

It is dramatic – that is, until you look at the columns for played, won, drawn, lost and number of points. Aha, gotcha!

All these columns show the 16 Absa Premiership clubs with zeros in all the columns.

As a single ball has yet to be kicked in anger, the clubs are listed in alphabetical order, hence Ajax are on top, followed by Baroka.

So there is no way that Ajax would win the league with zero points, when Sundowns worked their butts off to amass 71 and be crowned champions last season.

Actually, the current log on the PSL website reminds me of what the late April “Styles” Phumo once suggested.

He said the league should chop the Absa Premiership trophy into 16 small pieces at the beginning of every season because “every coach vows that come the end of the season, they will win it”.

So who will be the PSL kings come the end of this season, which kicks off on August 23 and culminates May 27 next year?

Your guess is as good as mine.