By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Sierra Leone Football Association have urged clubs to put proper structures in place regarding player transfers. The Secretary General of the FA, Chris Kamara said clubs have until October to do the necessary works ahead of the new season.
Kamara was addressing the clubs in the FA’s first media press conference since the lifting of the international ban and the dismissal of corruption charges against him and President Isha Johansen.
Sierra Leone Premier League’s transfer standards are largely opaque with little or in some cases no details on contracts for players, their wages or ownership documentation across most clubs.
“Agents of players will be encouraged to be part of courses and get license. Get the agent license and be part of the system. No third-party ownership,” Kamara said.
This statement comes almost at the end of a very difficult season for clubs. Most clubs had to put makeshift arrangements in place to recruit players and other staff for their clubs. This was so, as a result of the fracas in football which halted the Premier League for four years. During which most of the progress in players and club management halted and, in some cases, reversed.
Currently there are thirteen clubs playing the Sierra Leone Premier League. The FA say they have no records of player contracts by clubs.
“We do not have any records, that is why we are going after them. Let the club ensure they have contract for players. Let the club ensure they follow the transfer system,” Kamara explained.
The problem of player transfers is not just at the top level. Lower divisions like Division One has also struggled. Division One league is currently going on, where 24 teams have been playing for the last two months.
The Secretary General of Western Area Football Association, Benjamin Gordon said they didn’t meet any system in place regarding transfers.
He said, “There was no system regards player transfer. Since we have come, we are going to make sure we have a proper transfer system in place.”
This latest move by the FA is not just about transfer. During the meeting the FA also emphasized about structures for proper operation in clubs. He said in the coming season this will be a requirement for the issuing of license.
“Clubs need to meet at least 40% of license requirements. Clubs in the Premier League need to adhere to the license conditions. As an FA we are ready to help them through it,” Kamara said.
These conditions include renting an office space, proof of contracts and payments to players and many more. But the Head of Competitions at the FA, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay said the timeline is reasonable, considering the clubs already know about the provisions.
“Yes, three months is feasible. These conditions are already in the statute. The clubs just must comply with them.
Kamara also said there is no problem with time.
“Three months is very sufficient to fix these problems. If there are no structures, then we have to start all over again.”
The Premier League season is set to end in July. The Division One league is still going on. The FA’s new intention to tighten and enforce structural reforms comes within a very tight schedule.
There are questions whether clubs could afford these drastic reforms in this short run. Kamara said, the clubs can always get back to the FA to work out conditions for support if they don’t meet some of the license requirement.
“They can comeback to us and say we don’t have an office space. From there it is possible that we can fund the rental of an office space from their next seed money. But for now, the address of most of the clubs is at the National Stadium.”
Published in print on 4 July 2019
© 2019 Politico Online
