Estranged footballers may reconcile
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday. The Regent Insurance Cup topped the billing going into the weekend as football fans countrywide anticipated a veritable feast from the four teams schedule. However, by the time the weekend concluded, it proved to be a case of Raymond Waters 2, B.P.F.L. nil.
We take you out to the Michael Ashcroft Stadium at Independence Friday night, and this is the picture of the pre-game condition of the football pitch. Heavy rains has rendered it almost unusable tonight, but of course rain or shine the Independence crowd are an all weather bunch and they are praying that Raymond Waters would cut out his tantrum in a hurry.
In the meantime, the heavyweights of both Sagitun of Independence and the Builder’s Hardware Bandits of Belmopan assemble a meeting of minds to deal with the situation at hand.
For his part, the Captain of the Bandits Charlie Slusher, the show must go on.
Charlie Slusher, Captain, Builder’s Hardware Bandits
“We gone through the process of bail (empty) it and clean it, with all dah work a lot ah expenses could be saved…well it’s up to Sagitun also, but pan fi we behalf, we already travel this far, already wait an hour and change, so we decide we wah play the game.”
Still, it takes the Sagitun Captain Hilberto Muschamp to finger the real decision maker.
Hilberto Muschamp, Captain, Sagitun
“As I said, dah the ref make the decision, we only players. If he seh we have to play, we have to play.”
So what does referee Manuel Pelayo have to say?
Manuel Pelayo
“As football players, regardless of the condition of the field of play, if you come out to play football, then it’s gonna be a good football game regardless of the condition of the field. The field is much better, it has improve and I can see and appreciate that the home team has done their best to provide this game tonight for the spectators. I remind you again, we gonna play the game, but come out and play football.”
Unfortunately, the final decision would come from the torrential rains, which comes down with such ferocity that it drowns the well made plans of fans, officials and players.
To make matters worse, yesterdays other playoff match scheduled at the People’ Stadium between Kulture Yabra of Belize City and Juventus of Orange Walk also fell victim to the massive weekend rains.
We asked Omario Perdomo, President of the B.P.F.L., what would be the adjustment made.
Omario Perdomo, President, B.P.F.L.
“We have several options and we’re still going through them today. Either push back the schedule and start it one week from now, Sunday we start the whole playoffs. However, because of the financial constraints of salaries to the players, some clubs are thinking of playing it maybe on Wednesday, like back matches for Wednesday and starting Wednesday. That is not final yet, I am still consulting with the clubs, we need all four clubs to have a general consensus on that.”
In the meantime folks, we asked President Perdomo about the peace that seems to be descending on the football community.
Omario Perdomo
“Last week we wrote Dr. Chimilio, we rescinded the withdrawal letter and we got a response from him. He is welcoming us back, but he’s putting us through a readmission process. I don’t know how long that process will be, we are ready to get going.”
“We’re one way happy, but on the other side not too happy, because as you can see, the results that happened with the under twenty-three going to Costa Rica, the B.P.F.L. didn’t look at that too good. And then within our own league, we are pressured for international tournaments, international playing, and we’re not getting that, so we are welcoming going back to the F.F.B. We all know that the B.P.F.L. is the highest standard of football being played in the country and if you’re gonna send out a team anywhere, you want to send the best, so we’re looking forward to that. I tried to contact Dr. Chimilio Thursday, Friday and I understand he went out of the country. However, as soon as he comes back I’m gonna definitely try and sit down with him and see how fast we can move.”
We certainly hope and pray that this conflict is finally solved people and we can begin the development of Belizean football again.
Finally, we wish our Junior National Volleyball Team maximum success as it ventures into Guatemala today for a series of international outings.
That’s our show for today. We invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
