Why over-reliance on Kotoko and Hearts has rendered GHALCA irrelevant

The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) has served Ghana football well, copping a lot of success and contributing immensely to the development of Ghana football

Though their mission and vision don't include organizing football events, GHALCA introduced the Top Four, and President Cup some years back and it became a very successful competition

However, it has gotten to a period, where anytime any of Hearts of Oak or Asante Kotoko decides against playing in the competition, it affects the competition

GHALCA has over the years adopted a lazy approach to organizing the Top4 and President cup by fixing Hearts vs Kotoko who naturally have a huge following with fierce rivalry between them. So you don't need any planning and investment, just fix the two and you will get the numbers

This has continued for a very long time and even when neither of Kotoko nor Hearts makes the Top 4, GHALCA will increase the teams till it gets to the position where they finished on the league log, Top 4 which involves the first 4 teams in a season, has been Top 6, Top 8, etc in the past

The leadership of GHALCA failed to build a solid brand of competition that clubs will be eager to participate

I was shocked to hear their President, explain why the super clash, a Ghana Premier League fixture involving Hearts of oak and Asante Kotoko this weekend will serve us The President's cup

The event which was started in the 60s through to the ’80s when it was laid off and returned in 2002 after rebranding, deserves better from GHALCA

It appears the once-upon-a-time powerful organization has lost it, with all due respect

How can a Premier League fixture be classified as a President's cup game?

Its obvious GHALCA has lost its aura in recent years and they are on a downward spiral of losing their relevance in our football space

GHALCA top 4 which was a traditional competition with enormous goodwill in the early 2000s has lost its way due to inconsistencies and strategic planning to improve it year in and year out.

In 2022, we expect a more colorful event to honor the President of the Republic.

We should have a separate match to honor the President.

I think the current format needs to be changed, it's unfair to select only two teams to play a match in honor of the President of the Republic, we can't have 18 Premier League clubs and only two benefits from such an event and I suggest that 20 best players should be selected from Northern Zone clubs and the same from Southern Zone clubs for the match

This will solve the unmeritorious and biased format we currently have

There should be a permanent date for the match each year.

It's not too late for GHALCA to rise and take its rightful position in Ghana football

Their lost glory can be found, but with a lot of hard work, sustainable strategies.