IE's Promotion Causes Backlash

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

Despite the failure of the Invincible Eleven (IE) to qualify for the Premier League, the Yellow Boys will indeed be competing in the top flight next season.

The Sunshine Yellow Boys recently needed wins in two matches to automatically reach the Premier League.

But IE faltered in doing so after a 2-2 draw against the Barracks Young Controllers (BYC) and thereafter got mercilessly flogged 4-0 last Friday by the United Soccer Ambassadors (USA) Invaders. The result saw IE finishing in the first division in third place as Gedi and Sons and Sons and Mighty Blue Angels of Harbel sailed through.

Yet few days after the race for the Premier League ended, IE gained promotion through a so-called decision by the Competition Committee of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) increase the number of clubs in the Premier League.

The news came as a rumor, but if comment by an Executive Committee Member of the LFA, Garmondeh Karnga and other officials are something to go by, then it has become a full-gone conclusion about IE’s promotion.

Amidst fresh memories of yesteryears about the way the LFA decided to resolve to a “Big Eight” instead of an original “Big Six” apparently because IE did not make it, so, the decision to promote the Yellow Boys have not gone down with the public.

The President of Gedi and Sons, Patrick Garwo thinks the decision is meant to accommodate IE. Otherwise, he wants the number of teams to be increased to five. He pointed out that had it been other clubs that did not qualify, such move would not have been executed.

He warned that the IE-Barolle syndrome should be done with if the game must improve in the country.With IE joining the two teams already qualified to advance to the Premier League, a total of twelve clubs are expected there next season.

There are already Mighty Barrolle, LPRC Oilers, NPA Anchors, Monrovia Club Breweries, Wantanga F C and Black Star.

By such decision, lower performers like Roots FC and Mark Professionals would also be among clubs that would be in the Premier League next season.