Alpha boss displeased, explains decision to pull out of Namilco tourney

Oct 22, 2009 Sports

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– expresses concern over conditions in relation to national selectees

President of the Alpha Football Club, Odinga Lumumba has expressed dissatisfaction with the way in which his team was dealt with, hence the decision that they will not participate in the Namilco football tournament.
Speaking with the media yesterday, Lumumba stated that, “The first thing, I think the tournament people are very disrespectful. You can’t have a tournament and we are the defending champions and you ask us to play Pele in the first round. We got to play the weakest person, that’s how tournaments are done.”
To reinforce his point, Lumumba disclosed that neither he nor the club was given any information on the details of the tournament other than receiving a fixture of the matches. He stated that it is unheard of where the two strongest teams are pitted against each other in the opening round.
Lumumba questioned why there was no tournament briefing and he is yet to peruse a copy of the rules. “We have never been informed by the Georgetown Football Association there is a tournament and we have to participate in a tournament. We have never been written by the GFF… or Namilco bout this tournament. Things must be done more properly or orderly,” he lamented. He strongly stated, “…Some yard bird by the way fixture without no proper rules or regulations, we will not participate in that…”
Addressing some of the dealings with his club, Lumumba noted that his club had to pay $500,000 in levy fees to the GFF for a tournament they staged last year, noting that there are other tournaments where a far less fee is demanded.
He stated, “We have no obligation to play in any tournament other than the league (GFA Cellink Plus league) or the national league (GFF FIFA sponsored Super league), anything else we choose and we will determine when we play.” “I think there is a lot of discrimination in football, you can’t discriminate against our team,” he opined.
He laid blame at the feet of Conquerors and the GFA for how this matter was initially done.
The GFF also came in for reprimand, “I must blame the GFF also, they must have seen these fixtures, they must have known they weren’t proper and wrong and could have asked questions.” “How are you going to ask us to play on Friday, then take several members of our team to go and play for a national team next week in Suriname. What kind of foolishness is that?” He called it sabotage and a conspiracy.
He noted that these tournaments were how they raise money and when six or seven of their players are on national duty, they are destined to underperform.
Lumumba responding to questions stated that their (Alpha) agenda is to complete the national league, and participate in an overseas tournament, promising to release details on this shortly. He alluded that once invited, they will play in the Kashif and Shanghai yearend extravaganza.
Meanwhile, some concern was expressed over the conditions under which the players selected for national duties would operate under. Lumumba informed that his players will participate in the preparation but several things have to be put in place before they leave these shores. “The most important issue here is the question of insurance. You can’t have players going abroad without insurance.”
“Suppose the bus crashes, suppose they injure their legs, suppose somebody dies…people have jobs, have families…” “…I would advise them not to go if the insurance is not put in place. They have to get insurance.”
He noted that there is a question of the stipends, but it’s up to the player’s judgement to know what they are worth. Lumumba informed that according to his information the stipend is about US$12 per day and felt it was extremely low, highlighting the amount of money that is paid to GFF officials on overseas duty being in the hundreds as against “the slave allowance”, which he called unacceptable.
“The other thing I got a problem is with the boots. Last year we raised significant amounts of money because we had a tournament. We normally use those cash to buy things like gears, football boots, different things for the club. Now we have coaches we have to pay, some of the players, because of the economic conditions, we give them stipends…but because of the request for $500,000 levy fee we couldn’t hold a tournament this year.
“Which means we don’t have access to substantial amounts of money, so for us to use the club gears, particularly the boots which costs ten to twelve thousand dollars, for a player to use in a national team…, the national team wants these players, they have to provide them with gears especially the boots. We can’t afford it, its unfair… if I was the president of the GFF I would find a sponsor, so they need to put things in place.”
Lumumba revealed that Alpha covers all medical expenses for the players. With this in mind, the federation needs to follow suit and have systems in place to properly cover and provide for players representing the country.

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