Gayle backs league expansion

October 28, 2020
Marcel Gayle
Marcel Gayle
FILE
Waterhouse’s Keammar Daley (right) tries to evade a tackle from Tivoli Gardens’ Tevin Shaw during their National Premier League match at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Sunday, March 17, 2019.
FILE Waterhouse’s Keammar Daley (right) tries to evade a tackle from Tivoli Gardens’ Tevin Shaw during their National Premier League match at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Sunday, March 17, 2019.
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Waterhouse coach Marcel Gayle believes some football observers are too quick to condemn the 16-team Jamaica Premier League being proposed by football administrators.

Gayle argues that more clubs and more players in the local top-flight could result in a greater turnout of domestic talent in the long term.

"Change is inevitable, and if you look around the world, most of the top European and South American countries have 18 to 20 teams (in their leagues).

The Premier League in England want to reduce theirs to 18, but it is still more than 12.

It (premier league proposal) is still being tabled and I am not sure of the details fully, so until I know the full details I won't give my full opinion. But I do believe we definitely would get more quality players in years to come, because if we have more teams, more people will be playing, so there will be more talent to choose from," he reasoned.

He said the biggest drawback would be the financial incapacity of the league and the clubs to sustain the venture.

"The problem for me is the constrained budget we the clubs have to work off. There are 12 teams in the league, and most clubs struggle financially each year to complete the season. So that is my concern, the financial aspect of it and how the teams will cope," he added.

Meanwhile, the outstanding tactician believes that, for more reasons than one, the league should get the go-ahead to start once it has met the Government's safety criteria.

"It is my livelihood. It is where I get my bread, but I can't be selfish and think about myself, We all have to think about the whole human welfare. I wouldn't want my son to go out and play and be at risk just for a dollar. But if the pandemic slows down and we can play in a secure environment, then it's good for everyone in football. So with all the measures in place and things secure and we are assured no one will get hurt, then the green light should be given," he concluded.

Gayle led Waterhouse to the 2018-2019 Red Stripe Premier League final, where they lost 1-0 to Portmore United. Last season his team was the favourite to take the title and led the table by a point when the season was called off, with four games to go before the play-offs, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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