By Neto Baptiste
Former head coach for both the men’s and women’s senior national football teams, Rowan “Porridge” Benjamin, believes the number of teams currently contesting the football association’s Premier Division should be reduced by almost half at the end of the current season.
The Liberta Blackhawks coach thinks the drastic reduction is critical to allow for the country’s top football division to become more competitive.
“We have to go back to 10 teams. We’re not ready for 12 teams as yet, much less to go to 16. For me, going back to eight would be ideal because we want a competitive top league. We can’t have teams with six and seven points at this stage of the competition and you’re going back to 12. So you’re talking about moving away from this format because now, it would be two rounds or 22 matches,” he said.
Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) revived it’s domestic programme in 2022 with 16 teams, six more than the 10 teams which competed in the Covid-19 affected 2019/20 competition.
The move meant that the top six teams from the First Division were elevated to the Premier Division while the top three teams from the two competing zones in the Second Division were elevated to the First Division.
Benjamin said the promoted teams were prepared or ready to play at the top level.
“It goes back to show the mistake that was made years ago. They [teams] are not good enough to be at the top level and this year is that only six teams or thereabout [are being competitive]. So you realize that this year might very well be the last of demoting four teams and I believe the ABFA is looking at 12 teams in the Premier Division but I think it’s too much,” he said.
Grenades currently sit atop the 14-team standings with 26 points, 23 points ahead of Greenbay Hoppers who have just three points after nine matches. John Hughes sit second from bottom with six points after 11 matches, Green City are third from bottom with seven points after nine matches while Willikies and Parham both have nine points after 11 matches each.
