This year’s Super Nawettan zonal championship will contain 14 teams, with Foni and Kombo East the new additions to the party.
Kombo East will fill a team made of players from across the district where possible under the guidance of the district sports committee or any other body set up for this purpose.
The Foni zonal team too will be made of players from across the entire Foni where possible under the guidance of a committee to be the management committee for the zone in this year’s super nawettan.
Last night The Standard called the Super Nawettan Organising committee SOC chairman General Lang Tombong Tamba for updates.
Tamba disclosed that the draw for the championship will take place on Wednesday and there will be two groups of seven teams in each. Asked if the inclusion of districts may not change the scope of the tourney and set precedence for other districts to demand inclusion next year. Tamba said even if this should happen it will be gradual. “BEM has been there over the few years and that did not cause a floodgate of requests or complaints from other rural areas. In fact it is very well possible that the championship will one day reach the whole country through one formula or the other,” he said.
Asked how ready or logistically prepared are the new zones, Tamba said Foni and Kombo East who have long been interested in becoming zones, are known to have made requests or even applications for inclusion and each has a strong footballing tradition. ”It is hoped that their inclusion will add spice to the tourney,” Tamba said. On whether the new zones will not be disadvantaged forever by away fixtures, Tamba said: “Well naturally you know these places don’t have the infrastructure for matches to be played in their home areas so they will have to make for matches in the usual grounds. BEM has been used to that”.
On observations that the Super Nawettan should last longer than the short period allocated for it which often results in crowded fixtures and logistical nightmares for both the teams and the organisers, Tamba said the SOC as a body does not determine the duration for the championship; rather is the GFF which designs the national football calendar and only they can consider changing or allocating more time to the event.
Meanwhile the traditional the sponsors Fibank has stepped in again to provide cash prizes and tournament jerseys for this year’s event too.
The event kicks off on October 15 with venue and fixtures to be revealed at the draw Wednesday.
