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Local football needs new structures
Western Bureau
This past Wednesday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending a major [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]football [COLOR=blue! important]game[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] at Jarrett Park as a mere spectator and not in my usual capacity as a reporter/[COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]photographer[/COLOR][/COLOR] and I must admit that it was quite an interesting experience.
While the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]game[/COLOR][/COLOR], a Cash Plus NPL fixture between Seba United and St, Georges, churned out a fair amount of excitement as the teams battled to a 2-2 draw, what I found most fascinating was listening to the fans, especially the supporters of the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Montego [COLOR=blue! important]Bay[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] team, reacting to the various scenarios as they unfolded on the field.
At the end of the game, I left the venue convinced that while the fans continue to throw their support behind the Seba United team, there seems to be a general lack of belief that the team has the capacity to do well. In fact, it would appear that some fans are of the view that the current crop of players lack the quality required to win a championship.
major force
While I would not want to write off the Seba team, there is no question that they could not in any way be considered a major force. While one sees a lot of quality in players such as Keneil Moodie, Ricardo Geddes, Delroy Ellis and the veteran Norman Foster, there are also a few players who probably would not qualify as 'ball boys' in the outstanding Seba teams of former years.
During the game, former St. James FA president, Wesmore Thomas, who presided over arguably the most prosperous period in St. James's football in the 1980s and 90s, turned up at the venue and I know that he must have been wondering what has happened to St. James football in the decade and half since he migrated to the United States.
When Thomas was in charge of St. James football, we had a product that was the envy of all [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Jamaica[/COLOR][/COLOR]. At one time we were so powerful that we had seven players on the national team at one time, had Seba United, Wadadah FC and Violet Kickers taking turns at winning the NPL title and perhaps most significantly, KSAFA was our beating stick in the annual 'Battle of the Cities' clash.
Today, Seba are the only St. James team in the NPL competition as both Wadadah and Violet Kickers have fallen off the radar. Sadly, today we don't have a single starter on the senior national team and there are no players around to spark the type of interest once generated by the likes of Hector Wright, Allan Latty, [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Alton[/COLOR][/COLOR] Sterling and the other stars of former years.
creative ways
While it will not happen overnight, especially in light of the obvious decline in the quality, standard and appeal of our football, I believe a series of radical changes are needed to re-shape St. James' football. We need to find creative ways to identify and expose a new generation of stars, as without stars we won't be able to re-ignite the interest of the past.
One of the areas that I believe needs immediate attention is a return to the parish league of former years, which saw St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland and Trelawny competing against each other in a structured competition. In addition to providing a platform to have the parish's best players playing together, I believe it is a sure way of bringing back those football lovers who are not particularly interested in NPL football.
While I am speaking specifically about western Jamaica at this time, I believe the JFF should seriously consider staging an all-island parish competition, which would be an ideal way of exposing talent in those parishes without NPL representation. After seeing the depth and quality that has come out of Portland via St. Georges FC, one can't but wonder how many such players fell by the wayside prior to the team's entry into NPL football.
If the new JFF leadership is really sincere in its pronouncement that it is committed to developing Jamaica's football at all levels, it has a responsibility to provide opportunities for players all across the island. Since the NPL only covers five of 14 parishes, a way must be found to reach the other parishes.
NB. Feel free to send your feedback to
Western Bureau
This past Wednesday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending a major [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]football [COLOR=blue! important]game[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] at Jarrett Park as a mere spectator and not in my usual capacity as a reporter/[COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]photographer[/COLOR][/COLOR] and I must admit that it was quite an interesting experience.
While the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]game[/COLOR][/COLOR], a Cash Plus NPL fixture between Seba United and St, Georges, churned out a fair amount of excitement as the teams battled to a 2-2 draw, what I found most fascinating was listening to the fans, especially the supporters of the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Montego [COLOR=blue! important]Bay[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] team, reacting to the various scenarios as they unfolded on the field.
At the end of the game, I left the venue convinced that while the fans continue to throw their support behind the Seba United team, there seems to be a general lack of belief that the team has the capacity to do well. In fact, it would appear that some fans are of the view that the current crop of players lack the quality required to win a championship.
major force
While I would not want to write off the Seba team, there is no question that they could not in any way be considered a major force. While one sees a lot of quality in players such as Keneil Moodie, Ricardo Geddes, Delroy Ellis and the veteran Norman Foster, there are also a few players who probably would not qualify as 'ball boys' in the outstanding Seba teams of former years.
During the game, former St. James FA president, Wesmore Thomas, who presided over arguably the most prosperous period in St. James's football in the 1980s and 90s, turned up at the venue and I know that he must have been wondering what has happened to St. James football in the decade and half since he migrated to the United States.
When Thomas was in charge of St. James football, we had a product that was the envy of all [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Jamaica[/COLOR][/COLOR]. At one time we were so powerful that we had seven players on the national team at one time, had Seba United, Wadadah FC and Violet Kickers taking turns at winning the NPL title and perhaps most significantly, KSAFA was our beating stick in the annual 'Battle of the Cities' clash.
Today, Seba are the only St. James team in the NPL competition as both Wadadah and Violet Kickers have fallen off the radar. Sadly, today we don't have a single starter on the senior national team and there are no players around to spark the type of interest once generated by the likes of Hector Wright, Allan Latty, [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Alton[/COLOR][/COLOR] Sterling and the other stars of former years.
creative ways
While it will not happen overnight, especially in light of the obvious decline in the quality, standard and appeal of our football, I believe a series of radical changes are needed to re-shape St. James' football. We need to find creative ways to identify and expose a new generation of stars, as without stars we won't be able to re-ignite the interest of the past.
One of the areas that I believe needs immediate attention is a return to the parish league of former years, which saw St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland and Trelawny competing against each other in a structured competition. In addition to providing a platform to have the parish's best players playing together, I believe it is a sure way of bringing back those football lovers who are not particularly interested in NPL football.
While I am speaking specifically about western Jamaica at this time, I believe the JFF should seriously consider staging an all-island parish competition, which would be an ideal way of exposing talent in those parishes without NPL representation. After seeing the depth and quality that has come out of Portland via St. Georges FC, one can't but wonder how many such players fell by the wayside prior to the team's entry into NPL football.
If the new JFF leadership is really sincere in its pronouncement that it is committed to developing Jamaica's football at all levels, it has a responsibility to provide opportunities for players all across the island. Since the NPL only covers five of 14 parishes, a way must be found to reach the other parishes.
NB. Feel free to send your feedback to