December 6, 2021
The Union of Premier League clubs has on the 3rd December, 2021 held one-day retreat for Premier League football clubs at the Shangri La hotel at Aberdeen in Freetown.
According to the Chairman of the Union of Premier League clubs, Noel Katmai Horton the gathering is for the (18) Premier League is to channel their concerns and challenges they have been facing through the Premier League board as partners so they can find a way how to handle those challenges they have been facing.
He affirmed that key among some of their challenges has to do with Playing infrastructure both in Freetown and across the Country, funding to the clubs, attracting potential sponsors, and the management of their clubs financially.
Collins Thomas who represented the Premier League board he said the Union of Premier League clubs is nothing new, because the idea was taken way back in 2010 in the Bamoi declaration by the Chairman of FC Kallon Tundra Scott in a close-door meeting and that there the formation of the Union of Premier League clubs came about.
He added that as a Premier League board they have to push to see that the Premier League clubs have a way where they can get money because there are two sectors in Football is the administrative structures and Technical sector, he said in all structures the administrative parts are the more important portions and Football is an industry and that clubs should come as one and fight their goals and its high time they industrialized the game.
According to Sorie Ibrahim Sesay who represents the President of the Sierra Leone Football Association this part of the Vision of the Sierra Leone Football Association in seeing that clubs come together to propose their interest and in the interest of the game and that the SLFA is always ready to supports the clubs and the Football is happy to see that the Premier League clubs have a platform to seat and raise their issues and provider solution. He said without the Elite club’s Football Association cannot send Premier team’s for inter- clubs competitions and it is when teams played the Premier League it will be possible to send teams to part take in those competitions, he urged clubs to meet the inter- club’s license requirement and it is key to meet those criteria if not there is no option left with Football Association but not to send teams for CAF inter- Clubs competitions.
“Ambassador Antony Junior Navo the Chairman of East End Lions said he is ready to support the Union of clubs and ready to give his best support.” But frowned at the challenge the clubface in the first rounds and called those responsible to step up and help the teams to have a good premier League. He said as Premier League clubs it is not easy for the teams in the first rounds of the league, he points out some of the issues the clubs face one has to with ticketing, the gating, and the money clubs paid in hosting matches and that the board should help the clubs with proper security measures and the issue of players transfer all these are burning issues.
Edward Mansaray a representative of Wusum Stars and representing Northern Region started by telling thanks to the Premier League board for their relentless effort in seeing that Football play
as a club Wusum Stars have challenges, one has to do with the Criteria set up by the CAF that all clubs should meet, how could they meet these when the structures are not there it will be a serious challenge and that again need to be addressed before teams enter to CAF Competition.
Eric Lansana a representative from the South Region said it was a good idea to bring all the (18) Premier League clubs under one Umbrella. He said In terms of financial challenges he commended all the clubs to have been playing the first round of the league with the small amount they received from the Premier League board.
He called on the Football Association to set clear criteria in player’s transfer’s structures for the Premier teams.
The Union of Premier League clubs hoping to be getting such engagement with teams as the need arises in seeing that their concerns are addressed.