Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Ajax Cape Town barred from playing against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C recently announced that it will
take part in a post-season friendly match with Ajax Cape Town in South Africa
later this month,precisely on the 21st. However, South Africa's Premier Soccer League
(PSL) are putting a stop to the
international friendly on the grounds that it would take publicity away from the
country's cup final.
Ajax Cape Town
have been refused permission by the league to play a friendly against the
English club in Cape Town on May 21 in a move that was immediately criticized.
South Africa’s cup final, sponsored by the banking group Nedbank, completes the season on May 25, four days after the proposed friendly. The last round of league matches is on May 18.
The league’s
general manager Mr. Derek Blankensee on Wednesday -"We don’t allow
international friendlies while the season is still on because it competes with
our own events and our own sponsors,"
"This is
the biggest game of the season for our sponsor and we want them to get the
exposure they deserve," Blankensee added.
Cape Town’s
municipal authorities, who were bankrolling the game, criticised the decision.
"I think
it’s short-sighted because we are trying to build brand South Africa, and
getting one of the greatest football teams in the world to play in this country
is a massive achievement for us," Cape Town city councillor Grant Pascoe
told local media.
"Football
attracts guests and what sort of message does this send out to our
guests?"
An invitation
side, made up of players from Ajax and other Cape Town professional sides, is
now planned to face Liverpool, although all the players are registered with the
PSL.
Last year Ajax
hosted Manchester United in a friendly two weeks before the start of the
season.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
No comments :
Post a Comment