THE possibility exist that two more teams could be added to the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF)/Stag Beer Elite 2016/17 League, which is set to start next month.
According to a source close to the GFF, the Federation’s competitions committee will decide in a matter of days whether to include two more teams in the League;and the possibility of this happening is quite likely, since the committee wants to make the League more competitive.
The source said there are three teams other than those that contested the 2015/16 League, that are holders of Elite League Licenses and these three teams are all eligible to be a part of the 2016/17 league.
The three teams are; East Coast Demerara’s Victoria Kings, Riddim Squad of the East Bank Demerara and Upper Demerara’s Topp XX.
According to the source, the GFF is looking at the cost of including the two teams,since during the last season, the cost of one card costed the GFF $80,000 and now if they (GFF) include two more teams, the overall cost will escalate drastically.
The source said that from the GFF’s standpoint, increasing the number of teams would have to be financially viable,and whether the sponsorship supports the addition of two more teams.
The inaugural Stag Elite league concluded in June with Slingerz FC emerging champions after defeating Alpha United 1-0.
Meanwhile, in order to stamp their claims for the second Stag Beer Elite season, Alpha United recently acquired 12 transfers of players as part of the pre-season transfers’ period.
In total, the GFF during its transfer window, facilitated a total of 37 transfers, including three international transfers and of the lot, Alpha United Football Club acquired 12 players,
This is according to a release from the GFF, which further stated that Fruta Conquerors Football Club acquired seven players, Georgetown Football Club had six players, Pele Football Club, three players; Slingerz Football Club and Northern Rangers Football Club, two players each, and one player each for Buxton United FC, Riddim Squad FC, Snatchers FC, Stewartville FC and Winners Connection FC respectively.
This tally, according to the GFF release,was finalised at the end of the designated transfer window, which ended on July 31, 2016, and included transfers from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and the US Soccer Association.
The release further pointed out that the international transfers saw Pernell Shultz being loaned to the Alpha United Football Club, and Domini Garnett’s loan being extended for the season, both from Caledonia AIA (Trinidad) and Kevin Beaton, permanently engaged to the Georgetown Football Club from the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club.
The GFF’s Competition Director, Ian Alves, said the transfer period was incident-free with the bulk of activity happening in the final week of the transfer window.