Secure centres to make league competitive — Ref Agbovi

Accra-based FIFA referee, William Agbovi, has expressed concern about the rowdy nature of some premier league centres, saying they threaten the lives of some referees in the course of performing their duties.

He said it  was,  therefore, important for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to tighten security at all league centres to enable referees to perform to their best to make the local league more competitive.

In an interview  monitored by the Daily Graphic, he said  some referees were forced to toe the lines of some radical football fans just to save their lives, hence the need for the GFA to act quickly.

This, he said, would motivate referees to be fair and firm when they handle matches.

“Sometimes the security personnel provide us support, but others deny us, so you  have to toe the lines of the home team.Referees will do their best if the FA secures all centres to motivate them  to perform  creditably,”  he noted

Falling short of mentioning the  names of league centres that were rowdy in nature,he noted “ it will interest you to know that some security personnel prefer  home teams to  win  matches just to bring sanity. It is a fact, and  this makes our work very difficult, but we know how to handle issues”. 

On how they were prepared for the 2015 premier league, referee Agbovi said the regional chairman of their association was organising a course to  improve upon  their performances.

“The regional chairman is organising a course to get uniformity in officiating. It would be held at Prampram and it is meant to put us on course  to bring uniformity into our profession”, he explained.

Concerning allegation of bribery,  he said he had never been induced to handle matches,  but could  not hold brief for other referees.

 According to referee Agbovi, the GFA would not spare referees who compromise on their duties , hence the need for them to live above reproach to make the game more competitive.