Elite clubs to participate in GFA Senior League

…Set for May 15 start

By Jemima Holmes

The Georgetown Football Association (GFA) on Thursday May 5 announced the commencement of their first league, which will be a Men’s Senior league.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) revealed only last week that the Regional Member Associations (RMAs) would be responsible for running four leagues, all commencing in the month of May.
With the GFA’s launch on Thursday, Georgetown have become the first Association to roll out one of their ‘return to football’ events.
The GFA League would feature 16 clubs, 11 of which are from the Association and five are Elite League teams. While the tournament was welcomed, the announcement was not met without pressing questions from the Association’s clubs about the Elite teams’ involvement.

Although the Land of Many Waters was celebrating Arrival Day, GFA President Otis James operated in contrary fashion, failing to show up at his Association’s league launch. Standing in his place was Vice-President Dirk Exeter, who said the sole focus of the shortened league is to have football playing once again.
“Because we’re trying to let soccer start again and be fair to every club, what has come from the GFF, they decided to let every sub- association run a league, and whichever elite club is in that sub-association, they’ll be a part of the league,” Exeter shared.
After explaining that their inclusion came at the recommendation of the Federation, Exeter went on to persuade the Clubs’ representatives by revealing the Elite teams will not be included in the GFA’s official league, set to commence in September.
“In the future, when the GFA launch our league, the elite clubs will not be a part of the GFA league. Just for the beginning and starting back soccer, we’re trying to get everybody involved again,” he disclosed.
Meanwhile, GFA Treasurer Ackram Sabree admitted that the probes were not unexpected. Sabree stated, “When this was first announced, that this is what was planned and will be executed, eyebrows were raised; but, like everything else, new things always tend to have that effect on people. But we hope only good will come out of this strategy in our post-COVID effort at brining football back to the top, where it belongs.”
In Group A will be the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Western Tigers, Campton, Eastville, Pele FC, Deaf Super Kings (DSK), Vengy FC and Northern Rangers. Group B would comprise Police FC, Santos FC, Fruta Conquerors, Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Black Pearl, Riddim Squad, GT Panthers and Order and Discipline.
Present at the proceedings, being available to shed some light on the GFF’s position, Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith revealed that the team’s ultimate focus should be on the GFF’s Champions Cup in August.
“This tournament is just to facilitate football to start back,” he stated. Sparrow added, “In August, the top two teams from each association will be playing a Champions Cup. So, at the end of the tournament, depends on the top teams from Georgetown, based on the standings, then there will be able to represent the GF in this Champion of Champions.”
As announced by the GFF, the Men’s Senior League will kick-off on May 15. The GFA’s league will see its first match at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Ground, Eve Leary.
In addition to the tournament launch and discussion of logistics surrounding such, the GFA also presented their Clubs with some equipment in anticipation of their preparation.