FEATURE: Proposal for 18-club league must not be encouraged

Published on: 29 November 2016
FEATURE: Proposal for 18-club league must not be encouraged
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I woke up this morning to the news that the ExCo of the Ghana FA have proposed an 18-club league for the 2016/17 Ghana Premier League campaign.

Inasmuch as I agree that there is no decision that has no positive effects, I think this proposal alone will have negative implications on the FA than the positives.

First of all, why is the ExCo considering tabling such a proposal at Congress for consideration? Is it because of the legal tag of war between Dreams FC and Tema Youth? If that is the case, then what about King Faisal?

I don't want to accept that the proposal is because of the Dreams FC/Tema Youth case but assuming without admitting that is the case, then I'll be hugely disappointed in the leadership of our football.

What are they telling us in the long run? Are they saying we only take decisions to either decrease or increase the number of clubs in our league only when there is a case?

I remember during Uncle Ben Koufie's era as GFA Boss, play-offs were introduced into our game because Goldfields (Now AshGold) were on the verge of being relegated.

If this proposal is finally accepted, then it will mean only one thing - Our football leaders can't take independent decisions regarding the addition and subtraction of clubs in the GPL until something happens which will affect a 'loved' party. ... and that is bad.

Secondly, what happens to the Tema Youth vs Dreams FC case? Who was right and who was wrong? Who won and who lost? Will the adjudication continue or it will be truncated? If the case is truncated, what message does it send to cooperate Ghana? The GFA must be very careful with this proposal for an 18-club league.

My third point is that, a few days after the just ended Premier League, the President of New Edubiase United, Abdul Salam Yakubu, in an interview on Happy FM said he was optimistic of playing in the league but says he won't be specific whether it's the Premier League or the DOL. All he kept saying was 'We are preparing for the league'. Did Salam know anything even before the ExCo met? Or was he just being predictive? Your guess is as good as mine.

Again, the GFA announced a broadcast deal with StarTimes a few days ago which has received various commentaries from many people including me (I support the deal though). Even though I support the StarTimes deal, did the FA take into consideration the number of teams to play in the league next season or they signed the deal with 16 clubs in mind?

The ExCo must also take into consideration the preseason preparations of clubs. Preparation for thirty matches in a season is obviously not going to be the same as the preparation for thrity-four matches. Teams have already started their preseason preparations, which one are they preparing for; 30 or 34 matches?

Finally, if this proposal is accepted it will be a tremendous act of insubordination to the brand of our league and the fans who die to watch the matches. Why do we take decisions that always alter the structure of the league at anytime we like? Such a decision could be communicated about two years ago so that all stakeholders will know that after the 2015/16 GPL season, the number of clubs in the league will increase but not at a time that there are legal issues.

When that happens, even if the FA had wanted the increment, the general perception and conclusion will be that, the decision is being taken because of the FA's inability to properly adjudicate the legal matters.

Things must be done but they must be done well.

By: Sheikh Tophic Sienu @desheikh1 on twitter

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