Tweet
James to spearhead Ja's Youth programme
BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
NEGRIL, Westmoreland - Youth football is to be given priority under the new Horace Burrell administration and former Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Tony James has been given direct responsibility to oversee its development.
Burrell named youth football as one of the eight major planks of his new administration at Sunday's Congress held at Beaches Negril, saying, "I'm talking about serious youth development... we need to do a lot more for our youth players; they need consistent competitive exposure."
The previous administration, under the leadership of Crenston Boxhill, Burrell said, failed the youth programme despite making a lot of announcements.
"We spoke so passionately about the youth programme. We sold the youth programme concept to the fraternity and we never did what we should have done... you did a marvelous public relations job on selling it but never followed through," Burrell charged.
Subject to approval by the Board of Directors, Burrell said he had invited James - who is also a member of the Youth Committees of both CONCACAF and FIFA - and asked him to chair a Youth Development Committee, which is a sub committee of the Technical and Development Committee.
James he said would be "charged with the responsibility of developing a comprehensive youth development programme in sync with the technical committee and to fast-track the JFF academy and training centre".
The Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA), he said, would have a part to play in the youth programme, which will start at the lower age groups.
The primary and all-age schools would be included in the development process as "they need to be clearly defined in our youth structure which should harmonise with all the stakeholders and to ensure common goals and objectives that are measureable".
The National Youth Academy and Training Centre will be pivotal in the youth programme, Burrell said, adding that its current site in St Elizabeth will be under review.
The Academy, which is being built with funding from FIFA and which has attracted controversy from the outset, has been in the news lately.
BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
NEGRIL, Westmoreland - Youth football is to be given priority under the new Horace Burrell administration and former Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Tony James has been given direct responsibility to oversee its development.
Burrell named youth football as one of the eight major planks of his new administration at Sunday's Congress held at Beaches Negril, saying, "I'm talking about serious youth development... we need to do a lot more for our youth players; they need consistent competitive exposure."
The previous administration, under the leadership of Crenston Boxhill, Burrell said, failed the youth programme despite making a lot of announcements.
"We spoke so passionately about the youth programme. We sold the youth programme concept to the fraternity and we never did what we should have done... you did a marvelous public relations job on selling it but never followed through," Burrell charged.
Subject to approval by the Board of Directors, Burrell said he had invited James - who is also a member of the Youth Committees of both CONCACAF and FIFA - and asked him to chair a Youth Development Committee, which is a sub committee of the Technical and Development Committee.
James he said would be "charged with the responsibility of developing a comprehensive youth development programme in sync with the technical committee and to fast-track the JFF academy and training centre".
The Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA), he said, would have a part to play in the youth programme, which will start at the lower age groups.
The primary and all-age schools would be included in the development process as "they need to be clearly defined in our youth structure which should harmonise with all the stakeholders and to ensure common goals and objectives that are measureable".
The National Youth Academy and Training Centre will be pivotal in the youth programme, Burrell said, adding that its current site in St Elizabeth will be under review.
The Academy, which is being built with funding from FIFA and which has attracted controversy from the outset, has been in the news lately.
Comment