Visitors to give Jamaica a modern approach

[Mac]

Taken from www.jamaica-gleaner.com

Visitors to give Jamaica a modern approach
published: Thursday | June 19, 2008
Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter
A HIGH-level team of [COLOR=orange ! important][COLOR=orange ! important]football[/COLOR][/COLOR] officials arrived in the island yesterday to present to the [COLOR=orange ! important][COLOR=orange ! important]Jamaica[/COLOR][/COLOR] Football Federation (JFF) and the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA) organisational models which reflect modern approaches to the structuring football leagues.
The team was met on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport and was hosted in the VIP Lounge by representatives of the PLCA and the JFF.
The aim of the three-member delegation is assisting the PLCA and the JFF in working together to improve the next National Premier League (NPL) season, slated to begin in August.
The visiting team comprises the chairman of the Ipswich Town Football Club, David Sheepshanks, executive director of the Football Association in England, David Davies, and Michael Blood, a corporate [COLOR=orange ! important][COLOR=orange ! important]lawyer[/COLOR][/COLOR] with specialised know-ledge in [COLOR=orange ! important][COLOR=orange ! important]sport[/COLOR][/COLOR] and media relations.
With their combined experience and expertise, they have provided advice to countries around the world on the development of football leagues.
Important to listen
Sheepshanks, in expressing his team's willingness to provide expertise, said in any project that they worked on, it was important to listen to the local people, the leagues and the football governing bodies and understand their wishes before a model was prepared.
"The local model has to be right for the local conditions. So we will be very careful to hear the views of those involved before we put forward any ideas," Sheepshanks said. "This process takes a lot of careful work and discussion to make sure we end up with a solution that works for everybody," he said.
Carvel Stewart, vice-chairman of the PLCA, stated that the delegation would meet officials of the JFF and the PLCA today to outline and review their presentations.
"For many years we have been trying to lift the standards of the NPL, but it has been done purely on initiative. We hope that this visit will take us to a higher level and will bring a major lift to what we are trying to do for football in Jamaica," Stewart said.

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English experts here for talks with JFF, PLCA

Taken from www.jamaicaobserver.com

English experts here for talks with JFF, PLCA
KAYON RAYNOR, Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, June 19, 2008

A summit involving the top officials from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA) and a team of three dignitaries from England will take place at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston today.
The dignitaries - David Sheepshanks, David Davies and Mike Blood - who arrived here yesterday, will introduce to the JFF and the PLCA three possible organisational models reflecting modern approaches to the sport.
Sheepshanks, who has been chairman of English club, Ipswich Town, since 1995, said they will approach the summit with an open mind as the stakeholders try to find common ground.
"In any project like this, the most important thing is to listen to the local people... understand their wishes before we come with a prescriptive model because every model has to be right for the local market conditions," Sheepshanks explained.
Vice-chairman of the PLCA, Carvel Stewart, said his body is hoping for a solution similar to the English Premier League.
"What we're looking for with their assistance... is a proper blended relationship where we partner fully with the JFF to achieve this professional league...," Stewart said.
Blood, a corporate lawyer with specialist knowledge and experience in sports and media, said once the perfect model is agreed on between the parties, Jamaica's football will improve immensely.
"We just need to work... together to make sure that there's a solution that they're comfortable with that has as a priority boosting football in Jamaica...," he explained.
"But making sure that the Reggae Boyz get back to their glory days of the late and mid 1990s," added Blood, who was the lead advisor for Manchester United in its £302 million sponsorship and merchandising business.
Davies, who served as executive director of the English FA between December 2003 and September 2006, said the sustainability of the organisational model going forward is of utmost importance.

"... We want to help you (Jamaica) come up with a structure that works commercially, that works for all the parties," Davies said.

[Me]

Can't say I was very impressed with the gentlemen after seeing their TV interview. The youngest guy in the group sounding very unsure about hwo they were going to approach the task.

[OJ]

not that hard. You dont re-invent the wheel.