The league is back after a weekend of Nedbank Cup and CAF action, so we had a quick look at the number of players that each club has used so far this season. The teams represented in bar shows their participation at CAF competitions and or including latter stages of the MTN 8 for 2020/21.
A lot of factors can account for increase in player numbers (manager preferences, fixture scheduling, injuries and so forth) but Chippa United have used the most number of players in the DSTV Premiership this season. We will never know how or why that is, but a few factors to consider would be
- Their increased number of fixtures on the road so far this season, especially in January just gone.
- The change of management may also have increased the usage of players as Daniel Malesela tried to figure out his best starting XI.
Elsewhere high flying Golden Arrows (as with Cape Town City FC & SuperSport United) like to keep their camps small and compact with only the tried and tested players making the constant appearances for their teams. All three have no continental football to include in their calendar, whilst only SuperSport made it into the latter stages of the MTN 8 in November last year.
It is no surprise that the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have used more players than most teams due to their increased fixture schedule with MTN 8, Nedbank Cup and CAF competitions. Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs have only used four and two players less than Sundowns and Pirates at 28. The major reason for this would be represented of coach Gavin Hunt trying to figure out his best team rather than to their lack of recuitment due to the ban.
