Big boost for Coca Cola Top 4

The next edition of the much-publicised Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) Top 4 competition will receive a major boost in terms of Television coverage from the international world. The competition dubbed the Coca Cola Top 4 and slated to take place from January 11 to February 15, will be telecast by M-Net, an international television station and operators of South African-based Super Sports.

Mr. Kudjo Fianoo, the Administrative Manager of GHALCA told the GNA Sports that arrangements to have some recorded games of the tourney telecast on Super Sports was made by Mr Trevor Philips, Chief Executive Officer of the South African Professional Soccer League (PSL) currently in the country at the invitation of GHALCA.

Mr Fianoo said commentators from Super Sports were expected to enrich the competition with analysis and commentaries along side TV3, the television station with the exclusive right to the tournament. He disclosed that Mr. Philips was sourcing for sponsorship for the association in their bid to restructure the management of football in the country.

The administrative manager explained that, the PSL boss will as part of his commitment to the association's cause host, Mr Joseph Yaw Appiah Chairman of GHALCA for six weeks in a visit which will aim at grasping enough information on the successful restructuring of the premier league which is expected to take effect from 2005 soccer season. " The visit will seek to gather enough useful lessons from our brothers in South Africa who have been successful in that direction" he added.

Mr Fianoo told the GNA Sports that Mr Philips has successfully arranged for the first two clubs in the coming competition to participate in a four-club championship, which will include the top two clubs of the South Africa Top 8 competition, a version of the Top 4. Commenting on the month-long tourney, the ex-welfare officer of the Black Stars described the current out bursts of 2003 league champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko of their alleged threat to boycott the competition if specific demands by the club are not met by the organizers as unfair. Mr Fianoo who was reacting to Kotoko's demand for 400 million cedis among others before participating in the competition said Kotoko was yet to officially inform GHALCA about their demands.

He expressed dismay that Kotoko did not first inform the association about the issue before making it known to the public adding "we were stunned to have heard that threat on air at a time all the four clubs had accepted the GHALCA's offer of 120 million cedis each for preparations".

He explained that the association will be incapable of succumbing to any unfavourable demands from any quarters and was optimistic that any of the four clubs, which would pull out of the tournament, will have itself to blame.

"This edition will be big in all aspect and I wonder why players will be deprived of competing and winning prizes along side for their hard work as they also play to keep in shape and have fun at the same time" he stressed.