Ex-Chiefs coach slams Royal AM saga's impact on PSL season

Cavin Johnson. Photo credit: SABC Sport

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson has offered his take on the recently concluded 2024/25 PSL season, singling out the Royal AM saga as the incident that cast a "bad marker" over the entire league campaign.

Johnson made these remarks at a recent La Liga event in Melrose Arch - Johannesburg.

The season saw Mamelodi Sundowns extend their dominance, securing an eighth successive league title. While Sundowns clinched the trophy, they had competition from Orlando Pirates, who pushed hard in their bid to win the championship for the first time since 2012, before Sundowns' experience shone through in the final months.

Beyond the title race, the season was marred by significant off-field drama. Royal AM faced expulsion and had their membership deactivated by the PSL after failing to fulfil their fixture obligations.

In an unprecedented move, the PSL then decided against direct relegation following the Royal AM controversy. Instead, the team finishing 15th on the log would enter the Promotional/Relegation Playoffs.

Johnson believes the Royal AM case left a "bad image" on the recently concluded PSL season.

“I think the one thing that put a bad mark on the league is the Royal AM saga. It did not go well because the club didn’t even play halfway through the season,” he said. “In saying that, I thought Pirates were really good this season, and I thought they should have won more than one trophy.

“So I think Pirates gave Sundowns a run for their money, but as I said, the biggest let down was how we handled the Royal AM situation.”