League’s two false starts must be the last

The signals being sent across by the 2016/2017 Premier League season appear to be quite unpalatable, giving anxious stakeholders in the local game a real cause for concern.

In a matter of two weeks, the already-delayed season has suffered two false starts, raising serious questions as to what the future holds for the new season.

It all began with the last-minute cancellation of the much-anticipated, season-opening gala by the new broadcast rights owner, StarTimes, for reasons best known to the company.

Interestingly, the sudden withdrawal of the StarTimes sponsorship for the two-day gala slated for Kumasi on January 28 and 29 came at a time all the 16 clubs were raring to go, following the expected revival of the ever-exciting competition which, in the past, used to herald each new season.

Though StarTimes, which reportedly requested for the revival of the gala as part of its 10-year sponsorship with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), did not assign any reason for the withdrawal, observers believe the decision was largely influenced by clubs’ demand for the disclosure of the contract details, led by their umbrella body, GHALCA.

What is still not clear is whether the later postponement of the league by the GFA last Wednesday had anything to do with the undercurrent of the previous agitation.

We are tempted to believe that the agenda by GHALCA (and, for that matter, majority of the Premier League clubs) to impress upon the GFA to make available the contractual details of the StarTimes deal this time cannot be downplayed.

On the surface, the Emergency Committee (EmCO) of the GFA merely cited the clubs’ solidarity with the Black Stars’ participation at the Gabon 2017 Africa Nations Cup (AFCON) as the main reason for the postponement of the league from this weekend to February 11.

But, be that as it may, we wish to advise the GFA, the Premier League Board (PLB) and GHALCA to do well to resolve any outstanding issues which could bedevil the smooth running of the league before the big kick-off next weekend.

It is instructive to note that the league, officially scheduled for September to May, cannot be allowed to suffer any further delay, especially at a time a new sponsor has come on board, coupled with the growing interest in the domestic league, as was evident last season.

Already, the league is four months behind schedule, following the protracted dispute involving Tema Youth and Dreams FC, and, therefore, it cannot suffer any more delay now that the matter has been laid to rest, with the latter accepting to play in the Division One League (DOL) for the sake of peace.

As things stand now, the 16 participating clubs should brace themselves up for a tight season, including some midweek matches, since that is the only way the organisers of the league can finish the season within the stipulated time.

As we anticipate another exciting season, we hope and pray that all stakeholders will play their roles well to ensure a smooth league, devoid of controversy and violence, in the supreme interest of Ghana football.