Ali Cup organisers to honour Lebert Halliman
Published:Saturday | August 13, 2022 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Veteran coach Lebert Halliman will be the toast of the annual Ali Cup preseason schoolboy football tournament, which takes place on the Excelsior High School grounds today and tomorrow.
Carlton Hammond, chief executive officer (CEO) for the Green and Gold Ali Cup Limited, organisers of the event, noted that at the first Ali Cup tournament, they recognised the school’s legendary coach, Frank Brown, and this weekend they plan to do the same for Halliman, the school’s most successful coach since Frank Brown left in the late 1990s.
Halliman won back-to-back Manning Cup titles in 2003 and 2004, along with the Olivier Shield in 2003. He also helped the school to a Walker Cup title in 2008.
According to Hammond, Halliman, a no-nonsense coach, has been criticised more than he has been praised for the success that he has brought to the Mountain View Avenue-based school, and the organisers of the Ali Cup, also strong supporters of the school’s Manning Cup programme, want to recognise him for his impact on the school’s football programme.
He noted that Halliman’s impact on the school and its Manning Cup programme was massive. Halliman was one of the main advocates for the establishment of the school’s sixth form, he was also behind the implementation of extra lessons for footballers and scholarship programme for students/athletes leaving the school and Hammond said for his positive impact, he deserves the recognition.
“This year we will honour Lebert Halliman and Neville Lyn. Halliman for all that he did at the school I think he more than deserves this recognition, just like we did for Frank Brown a few years ago,” he said.
“He has his detractors but the work he has done at this institution, especially with our student football, is irreplaceable.”
Meanwhile, Hammond added also that an enormous effort is being made to upgrade the playing surface at the school, to ensure the competition is of the highest quality.
“We are giving the school a platform where we can play. The Manning Cup is not played at Sabina Park and Stadium East again. It is played on school grounds and so our main focus is to ensure that our school has a proper playing surface,” he said.
Twelve teams will contest this year’s Ali Cup with hosts Excelsior, Dinthill Technical High, St Andrew Technical High, Glenmuir High and Cornwall College to contest Zone A. While, in Zone B, Manchester High, Rusea’s High, Charlie Smith High, Clarendon College, Camperdown High and Dunoon Technical High will seek group honours.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals and the winners of each semi-final will advance to the final.