2004 League Programme Under Fire

The proposed programme for 2004 Premier league has received mixed reactions from the general public. Whilst a section of the public believes that the proposed arrangement is the best option considering the tight nature of the soccer calendar, others think Ghana Football Association could have avoided this embarrassment.

The latest to join the heated debate is a seasoned Sports analyst/commentator, Mr. Owusu Bempah, formerly of GTV. In an exclusive interview on telephone with SPACE FM, Owusu Bempah who is currently domiciled in USA expressed total disgust and abhorrence about the proposed programme.

He could not understand why the league should be suspended during world Cup qualifications arguing that only few players in the local league would feature for Black Stars. He also described as unacceptable why the league should be put on hold during U~20 qualifiers. He added that, even though the Olympic Games is very crucial it does not warrant total suspension of the league for one month.

He wondered why the league has not yet started, stressing that all serious soccer nations are already in the middle of their various leagues.

He said the present situation would have negative effect on Ghanaian clubs competing in CAF competitions.

The Executive Council of GFA in consultation with Professional League Board (PLB) and Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) has proposed to put the sixteen clubs into two zones for this year's league. The proposed programme is,however, yet to receive approval from Congress.