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HITTING BACK: PSL chairman Irvin Khoza. Picture by Antonio Muchave

ANGRY: Shakes Mashaba. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi

 It remains to be seen what action Safa will take to address the insults levelled at the chairman of the PSL 

In contention is the preparation for the all-important 2012 London Olympic Games for which the Under 23 squad qualified to take part in the final eliminations tournament staged by the Caf.

The eliminations tournament, to be hosted in Morocco will decide which three countries in Africa will eventually qualify to go to London next year.

This week a besieged but ever militant Under 23 coach Ephraim "Shakes" Mashaba lashed out at PSL clubs for failing the nation when they refused to release players for two preparation friendly matches planned for this weekend in Algeria.

Mashaba's plan was that straight after the friendlies he would take his squad to Morocco, to finalise training for the crucial eliminators.

Mashaba accused PSL and Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza for sabotaging the country by refusing to let go of the players needed to build a strong squad capable of doing well in the Olympics.

This would be the second time in the country's history that our soccer team qualifies for the Olympics. On both occasions it was Mashaba at the helm of the squad.

But Khoza refuted Mashaba's claims during a media conference at which he said he had evidence of Mashaba's bungling of preparations.

Khoza said Mashaba, unlike Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane, had no long-term plans on how he was going to achieve his objectives. He said Mashaba expected clubs to release players whenever he demanded this, adding that it was unreasonable for the coach to do.

Mashaba retorted with animated annoyance that it was surprising that soccer administrators claimed they did not know what was happening in a global event such as the Olympic Games.

Mashaba may be vindicated by the chaos that followed the false celebrations the country dived into, believing wrongly that Bafana Bafana had qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations.

This was an epic example of how incompetent administrators are about football matters - teams knocked out in the qualifying stages then to be exposed at a high level.

Kaizer Motaung commented on the debacle in his weekly column. The Chiefs boss said: " It remains to be seen what action Safa will take to address the insults levelled at the chairman of the PSL."

People should be held accountable for this fiasco, and this is not happening for the first time.

One just wonders when will it ever be enough.