President of LigaPro reacted to statements by Carlos Manzur, vice president of the FEF, who also responded.
“Well, it was already good.” This is how Miguel Ángel Loor, president of the Ecuadorian Professional Soccer League (LigaPro), expressed his displeasure at the possibility raised by Carlos Manzur, vice president of the Ecuadorian Soccer Federation (FEF), that the Ecuador Cup award tickets to international tournaments, an idea that, according to the manager of the club competition, “they don’t consult anyone.”
“They do, they undo. They give quotas, they remove quotas. They do not consult anyone, incredible. Will this be approved in a congress or will it be behind closed doors? Will the clubs agree to give up quotas? Well, it was already good. I do not get involved in anything of the FEF. But the other way around is impossible, apparently,” Loor wrote on Twitter on Monday.
The reaction of the LigaPro leader came after Manzur said earlier on the radio Network that regarding the Ecuador Cup 2022, a tournament organized by Ecuafútbol, it is analyzed “if they are given Ecuador 4 (classification) of the Copa Libertadores, or it could be a place in the Copa Sudamericana”, for the champion.
Nowadays, is the classification of the LigaPro Serie A that determines the representatives of Ecuador in the Conmebol competitions, in practice the best eight placed at the end of the 16-team campaign.
“I perfectly understand the intention of holding a tournament. I appreciate and support it. It’s good for football. But not socializing with the clubs first is wrong. Do you think I have any interest? Zero. Of course, announcing quotas in the press without talking to those involved does not look good, “added the head of the club organization.
The Ecuador Cup, which did not have editions in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications, will be held this year. It will be between May and October, as announced last Friday.
‘They could work in our building’
Loor also did not take a good view of Manzur saying that “resources can be used” if the LigaPro had its headquarters in the Federation building in Guayaquil (av. Las Aguas).
“Okay, let me understand this. LigaPro autonomously generates millions of dollars in revenue, but is renting a modern, independent office the problem? Really? Does that solve everything? Let’s not dress things up. LigaPro is going for its fourth year administering the tournament”, wrote the president of the League on networks.
Carlitos is my corduroy, but he’s wrong. He must go to work for the FEF (for that he was elected), produce, not be in the media every day. You cannot live solely on the money that Conmebol gives away. That is why there is time to criticize others, you have to produce.
– Miguel Angel Loor (@miguelloor) January 17, 2022
He added, “Actually, I don’t understand these comments. What is searched? Can you imagine me starting to suggest savings at the FEF? How does it look? The clubs do little (ask the FEF to account), since obviously it has no major interference in them. They should do it, just as it is also done in LigaPro (with all rights). Asking that LigaPro go to the FEF with the excuse of a lease, incredible. It is not done in any major league in the world, but here that would be the salvation. Let’s be upfront, that would save a lot”.
The LigaPro has organized series A and B of Ecuadorian football since 2019. Its headquarters are in the Xima building (Samborondón). Before, Ecuafútbol was in charge of the first class men’s championships.
‘Does FEF have to ask for permission?’
As a counter-reply, Manzur said, hours later this same Monday, on the radio Sports area: “Does the FEF have to ask permission from Miguel Loor? It is wrong. And if it were part of a congress (voting for the Ecuador Cup to deliver a ticket to Libertadores or Sudamericana), how do you think they would avoid the clubs from series B and the associations? There are 40-odd votes there. That he (Loor) has that inflated ego as he does does not get us anywhere. I don’t mean in those terms of ‘enough is enough’. The decision of whether or not a quota goes to the Ecuador Cup is a decision of the FEF”. (D)
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