Khoza, Motaung call for new Challenge format
Soccer bosses Irvin Khoza (Orlando Pirates) and Kaizer Motaung (Kaizer Chiefs) agreed on Monday that a new format should be in place for the pre-season Vodacom Challenge next year.
Visiting English Premiership outfit Tottenham Hotspur were automatically elevated to the final of the competition last week after losing to Chiefs and drawing with Pirates.
Spurs won the tournament on Saturday after securing a 3-0 win over the Buccaneers at Ellis Park.
Two days earlier, Chiefs and Pirates had been left to fight it out for a place in the final, despite neither going down to the tourists in the opening two matches.
"The trouble is that it is not simple finding an alternative system," said Pirates chairman Khoza.
"High-profiled internationally acclaimed teams like Spurs are contracted to play three games in South Africa to make a success of the venture.
"But we'll have to find a better way."
Chiefs chairman Motaung said the weakness of the tournament's exisitng format had been exposed.
"Not only were Spurs given a final place on a plate, but they had the advantage of preparing properly for the final in Johannesburg.
"Chiefs and Pirates had to play a tough game for qualification in Port Elizabeth less than 48 hours before the final," Motaung said.
"It simply does not make sense."
Pirates, the Absa Premiership champions, were set to face Chiefs again in the Black Label Cup in Johannesburg on Saturday, with fans having selected the line-ups of both sides.