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The JFF needs a reality check
File photos - Former JFF president, Crenston Boxhill.(Right) Current JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell.
Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau
Towards the end of the tenure of the Crenston Boxhill-led Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) administration, I would be most surprised if I was not their most strident critic. At the time, I was absolutely convinced that the best interest of national football was being undermined.
When Captain Horace Burrell replaced Boxhill at the helm of the JFF in November 2007, I not only breathed a sigh of relief but publicly endorsed the new administration. In fact, except for my concern about their stated plan to move the proposed football academy from St Elizabeth, I felt quite at ease with them.
Now, almost 15 months later, I can't say that I am as comfortable with the now-not-so-new Burrell administration. While they do have a much higher profile than their predecessors, in terms of performance and positive accomplishments, I could not honestly say much has changed since the departure of Boxhill.
inexperienced team
In fact, if one should go by just general expectations, it could reasonably be argued that, since not much was expected from what was a relatively inexperienced team led by Boxhill, his team should not be held to the same standard as the current administration, which has vastly more experienced personnel and better contacts.
While it is no secret that when Captain Burrell and his team came to office the federation was not in a good shape in terms of programmes and structures, it is also no secret that the affiliates, who showed Boxhill the door at the 2007 JFF voting congress in Negril, expected the new administration to hit the ground running.
I therefore find it quite annoying, if not totally unacceptable, that instead of producing results, Captain Burrell and his team seem to have got themselves stuck in a blame-game syndrome, where all they seem capable of getting right is to lay the blame for their failure to perform on the Boxhill administration.
In light of the current state of national football, I wish to remind Captain Burrell and his team that what the federation's affiliates want is not talk, but substance. I am sure if a poll is done, most football enthusiasts would say they would like to see us back on the path that led to our historic qualification for France '98.
I would not be surprised if some of the persons who felt that Boxhill was not given a fair chance to succeed are now grinning from ear to ear because, at this time, the current administration can't seem to do better than stumble from one failure to the next. Personally, the FIFA ranking means nothing unless we are qualifying for major world tournaments.
My primary area of disappointment with the Boxhill team was their inability to create an impact at the grass-roots level, so in supporting Captain Burrell, I was hoping that he would have been able to create impact in this critical area. However, to my absolute disappointment, this glaring shortcoming still seems to exist.
Although the mission statement of JFF does not speak specifically of any mandate to develop football at the grass-roots level, unless the JFF believes that one can build without a foundation, it goes without saying that we need proper local programmes if we are to have a good national product.
secure sponsorship
While parish administrators should not put themselves forward unless they are prepared to work, because they are basically volunteers, it would be highly unreasonable to expect them to function without support from the JFF. As far as I am concerned, the JFF should be at the forefront of the drive to secure sponsorship and develop programmes.
As things stand at this time, western Jamaican football is in serious trouble, as with Reno and Village United seemingly poised to be relegated from the 2008-09 Digicel Premier League, the region's football could well be falling off the radar for good. While our local leaders deserve some of the blame, I believe the JFF is equally culpable.
The Jamaica Star Online - http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/...s/sports8.html
File photos - Former JFF president, Crenston Boxhill.(Right) Current JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell.
Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau
Towards the end of the tenure of the Crenston Boxhill-led Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) administration, I would be most surprised if I was not their most strident critic. At the time, I was absolutely convinced that the best interest of national football was being undermined.
When Captain Horace Burrell replaced Boxhill at the helm of the JFF in November 2007, I not only breathed a sigh of relief but publicly endorsed the new administration. In fact, except for my concern about their stated plan to move the proposed football academy from St Elizabeth, I felt quite at ease with them.
Now, almost 15 months later, I can't say that I am as comfortable with the now-not-so-new Burrell administration. While they do have a much higher profile than their predecessors, in terms of performance and positive accomplishments, I could not honestly say much has changed since the departure of Boxhill.
inexperienced team
In fact, if one should go by just general expectations, it could reasonably be argued that, since not much was expected from what was a relatively inexperienced team led by Boxhill, his team should not be held to the same standard as the current administration, which has vastly more experienced personnel and better contacts.
While it is no secret that when Captain Burrell and his team came to office the federation was not in a good shape in terms of programmes and structures, it is also no secret that the affiliates, who showed Boxhill the door at the 2007 JFF voting congress in Negril, expected the new administration to hit the ground running.
I therefore find it quite annoying, if not totally unacceptable, that instead of producing results, Captain Burrell and his team seem to have got themselves stuck in a blame-game syndrome, where all they seem capable of getting right is to lay the blame for their failure to perform on the Boxhill administration.
In light of the current state of national football, I wish to remind Captain Burrell and his team that what the federation's affiliates want is not talk, but substance. I am sure if a poll is done, most football enthusiasts would say they would like to see us back on the path that led to our historic qualification for France '98.
I would not be surprised if some of the persons who felt that Boxhill was not given a fair chance to succeed are now grinning from ear to ear because, at this time, the current administration can't seem to do better than stumble from one failure to the next. Personally, the FIFA ranking means nothing unless we are qualifying for major world tournaments.
My primary area of disappointment with the Boxhill team was their inability to create an impact at the grass-roots level, so in supporting Captain Burrell, I was hoping that he would have been able to create impact in this critical area. However, to my absolute disappointment, this glaring shortcoming still seems to exist.
Although the mission statement of JFF does not speak specifically of any mandate to develop football at the grass-roots level, unless the JFF believes that one can build without a foundation, it goes without saying that we need proper local programmes if we are to have a good national product.
secure sponsorship
While parish administrators should not put themselves forward unless they are prepared to work, because they are basically volunteers, it would be highly unreasonable to expect them to function without support from the JFF. As far as I am concerned, the JFF should be at the forefront of the drive to secure sponsorship and develop programmes.
As things stand at this time, western Jamaican football is in serious trouble, as with Reno and Village United seemingly poised to be relegated from the 2008-09 Digicel Premier League, the region's football could well be falling off the radar for good. While our local leaders deserve some of the blame, I believe the JFF is equally culpable.
The Jamaica Star Online - http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/...s/sports8.html