Sport

Premier League -'no bed of roses'

By Paul Andre Walker, Staff Reporter

GETTING TO THE Premier League of football is difficult, but staying there is a whole other 'ball game.' Last season, Everton Rose and Star Cosmos found that playing football at the highest level took more than simply having a good team. They were unprepared for the tough times and were hard pressed to cope.

Towards the end of the season they found that they couldn't even pay the various fines that are part and parcel of any football club. Time and time again they were docked points for playing with players that had not paid their yellow card fines.

Invaders, the other newcomers to the League last year, fared a little better but they too had their fair share of financial woes. At the end of the season the club found itself in so much debt that they had to sell the club in order to facilitate servicing that debt.

Assured

The question now is how will St. Catherine's newest Premier League club -Arlington- fair in the world of top flight football.

On Monday, The Gleaner was privy to a function at the Prison Oval that suggested that Arlington United would not have to fight alone.

St. Catherine Football Association president, Lincoln 'Happy Sutherland, assured the club that his association would do all that was in its power to assist the club.

Assistance was also offered by Portmore United, who delivered Arlington's first eleven training balls for the season. Horace Reid, president of the Portmore United Club was on hand to explain what it meant to stay in the league.

Seeking assistance

His words didn't fall on deaf ears as Arlington president Everton Foster took a lot from the brief speeches and had this to say.

"We have a strong management team and I think that is important. That along with seeking assistance from the business community here in St. Catherine will see us a long way," said Foster.

As for the present crop of players, the management team of Arlington, are aware that they will have to look for players outside of Corlett's Road to add depth to their roster.

"It's not possible to compete in the Premier League with solely home grown players," Foster said.

Arlington coach Oneil Thomas was quick to add that:

"We do realise, however, that we have to focus on development. A lot of these players are young players and we can have them play at the lower levels where they can develop properly."

Foster and his team recognise that top flight football is a hard road, but a team that has on more than one occasion beaten the odds, will likely do it again.