Masters’ football tournament eyeing changes

There would be some changes coming to the next edition of the National Lotteries Authority SVG-Over 35’s masters’ football competition.

This was made clear by the organisation’s president Glenroy “Sulle” Caesar, as he addressed last Thursday’s closing ceremony of the 2019 edition at the Victoria Park.

However, Caesar noted that the changes would come after some consultations.

Among the changes possible is whether or not the tournament should be for players who are 40 and over only.

According to Caesar: “In the case of the 35s and over, that will be revisited”.

Revealing that the process has begun, Caesar informed, “We have already spoken to the managers of some of the teams … We will continue to speak on it through the electronic media, to communicate what ideas will be best”.

At present, the tournament allows for each team to have on its roster, three players who are over 35 years old, but not attained the age of 40.

However, only two of the three players can be on the field at the same time.

Apart from sorting out those eligibility issues, Caesar pointed out that the matter of “slide tackling”, will be placed as a consideration for a rethink.

“When a person slide tackles, nobody is a robot and sometimes a person slide tackles and may get away with it … We have to determine how we are going to deal with slide tackling,” Caesar related.

He said that whatever changes are made, will be in keeping with the objectives of the tournament.

Caesar reinforced, “The objective of this tournament is to keep us healthy, to keep us fit; to keep us as family”.

The 2019 edition had 14 teams participating.

Sion Hill Masters retained the title they first won last year. Sion Hill thus became the first outfit in the history of the tournament, to successfully defend their title.