Tuks coach calls for two streams to make elite women’s league stronger

In only their second season in the South African elite women’s football league, Khumalo believes strength vs strength is the best way to go for players to get even better.

The South African U20 National Team coach adds that this could go a long way in improving the product. Khumalo says the two streams will also make the league interesting.

"Our league can get better if it can get more sponsors and more exposure in a sense that maybe they can have a strategy of possibly having two streams next season. So, that we have competition in both sides because now we know the top eight are competing and then the bottom ones like for example the ones that are coming from Sasol [League], they only have one season then they drop,” Khumalo said.

“So, I think they need to look at that so that our league is interesting and have more supporters because at the end of the day remember we wanna compete for the Olympics, we wanna compte for the World Cup, we wanna compete for the COSAFA so we need to have a proper structure but most importantly the support is needed for women's football.

“Strength versus strength because at the end of the day, we need to see who's who because at the end of the day yes we play and we find challenges. You find that you've been deceived, you are scoring 13 goals and then you go and play other teams and that doesn't give you a true reflection of the game.

“Yeah, so even if they can mix it, they must balance the streams so that other teams can see if they need to up their game. So, it's just an idea and a suggestion to make it interesting."

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Tuks Ladies finished in sixth position in only their first year last season, but in 2024 they could not repeat that act, ending in the eighth spot.

Out of 30 games, they won 11, drew 9 and lost 10 compared to 2023 when they were victorious in 16 matches. Khumalo explain.

"Last year was more hunger, more experience because we were travelling, we're going there, we wanna see ourselves in top 8 because this year, it was our target for last year and then last year it was our target for this year,” the coach added.

“But what I've realised is we lost it when we find that we lost some games that we shouldn't have lost, we drew some games that we shouldn't have drawn. It's also because of the personnel that I used because I had some injuries on and off injuries where players didn't recover very well and then we managed just to work with those players who are there.

“The consistency of players as well, it takes a toll in the team. So, it's one of those things that I've ticked to say, next year let me avoid certain things that I've experienced this year so that we can do better going forward."