More clubs in debts in ‘game of chess’?
IT SEEMS there are more QSL clubs, other than Al Rayyan, in the red.
It is learnt that Al Arabi are also having problems with debts and non-payment of dues and may face sanctions from the QFA. It is easy to blame the clubs for not developing enough youngsters, but there is no ‘fair play’ when it comes to resource-sharing or fund-raising.
“Al Arabi also have a huge fan-following. Perhaps, after Rayyan it’s Arabi who’ve the maximum supporters. Obviously the management is under pressure to build a strong team and challenge the hegemony of the ‘more-favoured’ teams,” said an Arabi official who wished to remain anonymous.
“How can we focus on youth development and nurturing talent when we don’t have enough resources to take care of the senior team itself?” he asked.
The official said there was blatant favouritism towards a couple of big clubs.
“We’re not treated on par with others. There’s no fair play. Whether it’s direct support or raising money through sponsors there’s a huge disparity. Some clubs have highly-influential people with them and they pull the strings in their favour. Outwardly you may feel that one source is supporting everyone, but I would say it’s like just one person playing chess. He will play both the white and black pieces and in the end he’ll decide the winner,” the official said with a sense of frustration.
He also came up with an interesting analogy to reflect the attitude of officials who want instant results and not willing to invest on youngsters when he said, “Many of our people don’t have the patience to invest on youngsters and wait for sustainable long-term results. They prefer readymade players. It’s like opting for KFC and McDonald’s rather than cooking something healthier.”
