Top Four competition officially launched

The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) on Thursday officially launched the third edition of the Top Four Competition at a magnificent ceremony held at the Banquet Hall, State House in Accra.

The four teams that would participate in the competition are Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Accra Hearts of Oak, King Faisal and Liberty Professionals.

The tournament is dubbed "Coca Cola Top Four" following the investment of 1.2 billion cedis into the competition by Coca-Cola Company Limited as the official sponsors of the competition. The event attracted almost all soccer administrators in the country and representatives of the four clubs that would participate in the tournament.

Documentaries on the success of the four clubs in the past years was shown, there was fan fair and music was provided by Ghana's ace musician Amakye Dade and the Ghana Dance Essemble.

Mr Kwadjo Baah-Wiredu Minster of Education, Youth and Sports who represented the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama said the decision of GHALCA to lead the crusade for the reorganization of the structures of the Ghana football was long over due.

He said the time was ripe for all stake holders in football to be up to challenges facing soccer as the country prepared to host the 2008 nations cup, which she was currently bidding for.

Mr Baah-Wiredu said in seeking reorganization and restructuring of the nation's football, the security of spectators, players and match officials must be taken into serious consideration.

The minister called on the participating teams to brace themselves up for greater competition at all levels and be ever ready to embark on quick organisations in order to face any emergency situation. Mr Baah Wiredu referred to disasters that happened to the Zambian national team before the 1996 nations cup and Manchester United of England, which led to the death of their entire players, but they were able to put themselves together to display excellently in subsequent competitions.

He commended GHALCA and the sponsors of the competition for organising something that soccer fans would cheer about adding that the government appreciated their efforts in promoting the game.
Mr Baah-Wiredu said the government would therefore create an enabling business environment for companies, which would promote sports. Mr Joseph Yaw Appiah, Chairman of GHALCA said the association would continue to champion the crusade for the reorganization of football in the country.
He called on all Ghanaians to support GHALCA in achieving its mission of developmenting sports.