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by
George Kasakula, 04 December 2004
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10:04:10
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Up to the teams
It is up to the teams who will earn promotion from regional leagues to say they have no financial power to stand the heat in the Super League. It is their right accorded to them by Sulom’s own rules and regulations governing promotions and relegations which say the four bottom teams should be relegated and three regional champions should be promoted. What Sulom is doing in writing them about this and at the same time also writing relegation-bound teams such as Super Escom telling them to get ready for the season when they are supposed to go under is wrong. Football is about competition and what is the point for teams to work extra hard when they know that even if they do not work hard, they will still not be relegated because they have money and infrastructure? The power to solve the problem lies not with Sulom but the winners of three regional leagues. If the winners do not have the financial power, what about the runners up? Until all these options are tried, Sulom is not justified to tell relegation-bound teams to start getting prepared because they are encouraging losers instead of winners.
Arsenal tired
I can only agree with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that his team looked tired against Liverpool last Sunday when it was whacked 2-1. They lost out in most of the duels and were totally outplayed in the midfield. But perhaps Wenger did not go far enough to say what has caused the tiredness. In fact, Wenger is to blame. When Arsenal were flying high, playing good flowing football with rhythm and going 49 games unbeaten, they were using about 13 players throughout. In my opinion, this is taking a heavy toll on the team. The lethargy started with the 2-0 loss to Manchester United. During the period leading to the Liverpool game, Arsenal has not been the same team—it is tired. The other factor is Thierry Henry. It is a known factor that this particular player—christened Atcheya in some quarters here—is the talisman of the team. He drives the team. When he is in form, the team functions as a unit. At present bwana Atcheya is not in form and he himself has attested to this. He says he is only playing at 70 percent capacity, blaming an Achilles injury. Why he continues playing the whole 90 minutes game after game, only Wenger knows. He should be rested so that the injury heals. It will be good for the whole team.
Increase sponsorship
Instead of feeling merry that former president Bakili Muluzi wants to once again sponsor the Super League this coming season, Sulom should have negotiated for an increase in the prize money from the present K16.5 million. The money may be enough at face value but it is not especially in the view of the way it is distributed. At the moment it is the first top three teams that get something substantial. Yet the rest of the teams spend a lot on transport, accommodation, food and allowances among other expenses. But they get nothing. They have no incentive to stay in the league. Looking at the scenario from a strictly business point of view, the other teams have no reason to participate in the competition because they will get nothing while at the same time they spend a lot of money. Each team in the league needs to receive something, let’s say a million as starting point. This money could be paid either at the beginning of the season or at the end. This is what happens in other leagues. They are lucrative because teams get participation fees. It even increases competition in the lower leagues. This is what Sulom should be trying to do. They should bargain for more money to encourage participating teams.
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