Part 2 of football season kicks off this weekend

Football fans didn’t even have time to start missing their favourite players as this weekend turf action kicks off once again on fields across the country. Today we caught up with tournament coordinator Ruperto Vicente who explained how this year’s season will play out.

Ruperto Vicente, Tournament Coordinator
?Football has become more exciting as a result of the changes of the rules and also in the formats of the competitions.?

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Thanks to new CONCACAF rules, this year Belizean football fans will have two champions: the top teams of two consecutive tournaments. But following the first round of play, there have been causalities … four squads have had to pull out from the league due to a lack of finances.

Ruperto Vicente
?We?ve lost San Pedro Seahawks, we have lost Mango Creek, we?ve lost BOCA, who is the sub-champion, and we?ve also lost Calcutta. Good clubs we?ve lost to in this season, so they will not be able to participate in this tournament?

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
?So what happens to the players, let?s say from San Pedro and BOCA, they get shifted around to the other teams??

Ruperto Vicente
?Certainly, they are given the opportunity to go to another club, but if the club has space for them. Clubs who do not have the space cannot keep those players, and so a lot of the players will be left in the cold this tournament, so they will not be able to play.?

But there is some good news tonight as Orange Walkeños have a new home team.

Ruperto Vicente
?It?s going to be a very young team, coming out of Chan Pine Ridge. Of course also we have?this weekend we?re going to start off with classic games. We have Kremandala coming against F.C. Belize. Of course, F.C. Belize and Kremandala are battling as to who is going to rule the city.?

Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

Other games scheduled for this weekend will include champions New Site Erei against Wagiya in Dangriga; while in the capital city, Belmopan will go head to head with Hankook Verdes. The Benque boys will welcome the Placencia Pirates, and at the Norman Broaster Stadium, the San Ignacio Avengers will face off with newcomers Alpha.