GRi Sports News Ghana 25 - 10 - 2000
Impressions about
the ABC league
Impressions about
the ABC league
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 October
2000
This year's ABC Premier league
season has been described by some soccer fans as exciting and very competitive.
However, others were of the
opinion that it lost its beauty as a result of an alleged match fixing by
relegation threatened clubs getting to the latter part of it.
A cross section of supporters
interviewed by the GNA Sports in Accra revealed that the downward performance
of League Champions Accra Hearts of Oaks nearly marred the beauty of what would
have been the most competitive league in recent years.
Mr. Issah Alhassan, an ardent
supporter of Liberty Professionals said, the league started on a lightening
note, especially, when Hearts thrashed Kotoko 4-0 in a historic match. But
Alhassan said some of the results especially getting to the end were quite
suspicious.
''We have no evidence to support
our claims but having followed football for nearly 20 years, I can
differentiate between a clean match and fixed one".
He cited the Hearts-Olympics match
played on September 31, which ended 2-1 in favour of Olympics as an example,
adding that even before the match started supporters of both teams knew that
Olympics were going to win the match.
On the contrary, Sylvester
Hammond, an Olympic supporter, thought all matches were played on a very
competitive note.
He however said, lessons should be
learnt from the season to make the next season even more competitive.
Jonathan Tetteh, a Hearts fan,
said the season was tough even though Hearts took unassailable lead after the
first round.
"I think this year is their
year, they are in good shape perhaps because they have played together for a
very long time."
He suggested that the rest of the
clubs should take a que from Hearts and stop "selling" their players
at their pre-mature stage to Europe.
Kingsley Tetteh of Power P/C said
although it was successful, the violence and hooliganism which cropped up at
some of the league centres nearly marred the beauty of the league and urged the
Ghana Football Association (GFA) to provide enough security at all league
centres next season and to institute measure to stem this growing menace before
it grow into something else.
The 30-week League ended
successfully even though there were few controversies surrounding matches
involving clubs threatened by relegation.
Joseph Ade Coker, Chairman of
Accra Great Olympics heaved a sigh of relief when his troubled club escaped
relegation by the skin of the teeth but the same could not be said of his
friend Nana Sam Brew Butler of Dwarfs. Dwarfs joined B. A. United for the
relegation wilderness when they were humbled with a 1-2 defeat. Ebusua Dwarfs
have learnt their lessons the hard way.
B. A. United's Accra
representative, Mr. Kwabena Ntow, said financial constraints were the major
factors that caused his team's relegation.
Dawu Youngsters owe their survival
in next year's league to Accra Hearts of Oak's refusal to honour their last
match on the grounds of their continental championship.
Power F/C will engage Adansiman
for a play-off for a place in the elite division next season.
GRi…/