SSL criticism 'irritates' the GFA

THE Sunday Soccer League has clashed with the Guernsey Football Association once again. SSL secretary Mark Fallaize yesterday accused the association of being undemocratic and suggested that the GFA was working to undermine the Sunday League.

And he confirmed rumours that the SSL has called an emergency meeting for Monday night to discuss its apparent breakdown in relations with the governing body.

SSL officials have grown increasingly frustrated with what they perceive as a complete lack of co-operation from GFA HQ. They are particularly infuriated by plans to scrap Priaulx and Jackson League registrations, which many SSL members believe could cripple their competition.

'We would have real trouble if they went ahead with scrapping registrations, but they just refuse to listen to our protests,' said Fallaize.

'We've been trying to get hold of the GFA for a long time, but they won't respond to my calls or e-mails. I think that they might be trying to ruin us and then they could take over our league and get rid of us.

'We go to their meetings, but we're never asked our opinion and they probably wouldn't listen even if we did speak. We get no help from them at all; the GFA is no longer democratic.'

Fallaize alleged that the GFA had failed to respond to his correspondence on several occasions recently.

'The truth is that we wrote to them five times last season and they answered back just once. I know they're busy, but this has been going on for ages and it seems that they just want to ignore us.'

At Monday's meeting, the SSL executive is expected to recommend that a letter opposing the scrapping of the registration system be sent to the GFA in the hope that it will be read out at the GFA annual meeting on 17 July.

Fallaize admitted that some SSL members favour breaking away from the GFA and forming a renegade league. 'That's definitely one option,' he said.

GFA chief executive Dave Dorey responded robustly, questioning the SSL's interpretation of the proposed registration changes and accusing the league's officials of trying to stir up trouble.

'We are all up to our eyes in Island Games business at the moment and I've asked them to be just a little patient. We will sit down with the SSL in due course,' said Dorey.

'The GFA is fully supportive of the SSL and I've stated from the outset that we will offer them every assistance in establishing a registration system for their own purposes, should they need that.'

Dorey said that he was 'irritated' by the SSL's comments.

'They have spoken to you today about what they see as a lack of action at the GFA, but why did the SSL delegate who attended Thursday's council meeting sit there and say nothing and fail to raise their objections?

'I don't think their delegate has said a word since he started coming to council, which is the forum to raise these concerns. But they don't do that; they prefer to speak to the Press and stir up trouble in that way.

'Between the Harvey Report coming out in October and this March, the SSL made no proper representations to the GFA and did nothing to seek to influence the views of the clubs, who held the voting power on all Harvey Report matters.

'No-one from there spoke up in a pro-active way. I'm keen to help them, but I just wish they'd do something to help themselves.'

It also emerged yesterday that the Ernst and Young Business League is on the verge of calling an emergency meeting to discuss similar concerns.

Meanwhile, in Sylvans' ongoing managerial saga, Tristram Morgan returned to the island from the UK on Thursday night and immediately denied having had any contact with the westerners.

'I haven't heard anything from them. I read the Press yesterday and that was the first time I'd heard anything,' said Morgan.

'I'm still down at Vale Rec. and I will be next season unless something else materialises.

Despite Morgan's denials of contact with the westerners, it is understood that Sylvans are still waiting on him to accept or reject an offer to become their new player/manager and it is quite possible that there could be further developments over the weekend.