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Tribune News Network
DOHA
Ahmed al Harami, Qatar Stars League Competition and Development Executive Director, says that the decision to reduce the number of clubs participating in the Qatar Stars League teams next year is aimed at developing the sport in Qatar more strongly and better.
From the 2017-18 season, the QSL will be contested by 12 teams, instead of 14.
He, while giving a number of reasons for the new decision, said,"We, in the QSL, specially in the competition and football development department, believe that the decision will help the game grow in many ways. The schedule will not be so packed and it will help us to start and end the season in a better climate. Besides, there will not be pressure on the teams which are specially figuring in the AFC Champions League. These teams had eight matches to play in the last month of the season.
"All the clubs that are representing Qatar in international competitions will have less pressure and this will enable them to perform better in these competitions. So, the decision to decrease the number of teams in the QSL will not have a negative impact on the number of teams participating in the AFC Champions League, according to the licensing department of the AFC."
The QSL official added,"The league with 12 teams will give us more opportunities and time to work on the strategy and development of the Qatar Cup and Emir Cup as well as choose the best timing for these competitions which is rather difficult when we have 14 teams in the QSL."
He pointed out that it would raise the technical level of the matches in the QSL and allow more quality players in the 12 clubs. The new league structure with 12 clubs will provide us 60 players who can be distributed to the other clubs to reinforce the second division teams."
The executive director also said, the decision would build an ideal football development pyramid."We will now have three levels. At the first level, we'll have the members of the national team. The second level will be the players playing in the QSL, while the third one is the second division players in addition to the amateur, school and university players.
"Our future plan is to increase the number of players in the base of the pyramid so that we can have more players at the amateur level in order to enrich the second division and then the QSL and finally to the national team. The second division will be competed by six teams or maybe more in case some of the amateur league clubs can fulfill the criteria to get a license," Harami said.
Speaking about the procedure of implementing the new decision, he said,"We will provide the clubs a package of procedures and measures in collaboration with the Qatar Football Association. Among these procedures will be details about promotion to the Qatar Stars League and direct relegation. The teams who will finish the league in 14th, 13th and 12th position will be relegated directly and the team finishing 11th will play a playoff match with the second team of the second division.
"While the first team from the second division will get direct promotion. But, in case the team from the second division does not finish in the first five spots in the general table of the Qatargas League, the team should play a playoff match with the 12th team of the Qatar Stars League and the winner will earn the right to play in the first division," he elaborated.
