Tweet
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>The changing nature of politics</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Saturday, December 09, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>In politics, much can change in a very short time. That's true across the board and not just of the parliamentary variety which, in Jamaica's case, will come to a grand climax with national elections sometime next year.<P class=StoryText align=justify>So it is that there is a sense, just lately, of a change in the wind relative to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) presidential election set for late next year.<P class=StoryText align=justify>For up to just a few months ago, the majority betting was that come November 2007 the administration of Mr Crenston Boxhill would have to step aside for a regime run by his predecessor as JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell. The latter, readers will recall, was the man with the vision and indeed, was the driving force behind Jamaica's historic qualification for the World Cup finals in France in 1998.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Captain Burrell lost in dramatic fashion to Mr Boxhill three years ago, following accusations by leaders in the parishes and clubs that he had lost touch with the grass roots of the sport. And, that he treated local football leaders with arrogance and disrespect.<P class=StoryText align=justify>But dissatisfaction and disaffection soon set in with Mr Boxhill, following Jamaica's failure in the FIFA 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, a chronic paucity of funds that has afflicted his administration and a public perception, perhaps misplaced, of an absence of vision.<P class=StoryText align=justify>News earlier this year that construction work had started on the long awaited FIFA-funded football academy at Munro in St Elizabeth appeared to have little effect in football circles.
But Mr Boxhill pulled off a major coup in recent weeks when he coaxed the Government and sections of the private sector into a partnership that has now allowed him to sign a deal with the famous Mexico-based Serbian coach, Bora Milutinovic. This to guide the Reggae Boyz through their Back-to-Africa, World Cup qualifying campaign set to start early 2008.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Mr Boxhill would have gained even more ground this week with the news that brewers Red Stripe will sponsor the Reggae Boyz campaign to the tune of J$100 million.<P class=StoryText align=justify>On the field too, things have been looking up for Mr Boxhill. For while the Reggae Girls failed to qualify for the World Cup just recently, they performed creditably and are now ranked fourth in CONCACAF - which is a highly respected region in the context of international women's football.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And the Jamaica Under-20s' win on aggregate, 2-1, home and away, over Trinidad and Tobago this week means they are through to the finals of Under-20 CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers set for February.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Two months later, Jamaica will have a real chance of qualifying for the Under-17 World Cup when they play host to the USA, Canada, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago with three teams set to qualify from the Jamaica zone.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Then in June, both the women's team and the men's under-23s will have a chance to qualify for the Olympics when they compete at the Pan Am Games in Brazil.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In other words, even before the Back-to-Africa qualifying campaign begins, Mr Boxhill's team has a real chance of tasting real success with the qualification of men's age-group as well as the women's team to major tournaments.
For the short-term at least, things are looking up for Mr Boxhill. To borrow from the vernacular "tings a gwaan fi him".<P class=StoryText align=justify>Of course, as we have said, everything can change in a very short time. Take for example the recent comment by Mr Chris Deh
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Saturday, December 09, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>In politics, much can change in a very short time. That's true across the board and not just of the parliamentary variety which, in Jamaica's case, will come to a grand climax with national elections sometime next year.<P class=StoryText align=justify>So it is that there is a sense, just lately, of a change in the wind relative to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) presidential election set for late next year.<P class=StoryText align=justify>For up to just a few months ago, the majority betting was that come November 2007 the administration of Mr Crenston Boxhill would have to step aside for a regime run by his predecessor as JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell. The latter, readers will recall, was the man with the vision and indeed, was the driving force behind Jamaica's historic qualification for the World Cup finals in France in 1998.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Captain Burrell lost in dramatic fashion to Mr Boxhill three years ago, following accusations by leaders in the parishes and clubs that he had lost touch with the grass roots of the sport. And, that he treated local football leaders with arrogance and disrespect.<P class=StoryText align=justify>But dissatisfaction and disaffection soon set in with Mr Boxhill, following Jamaica's failure in the FIFA 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, a chronic paucity of funds that has afflicted his administration and a public perception, perhaps misplaced, of an absence of vision.<P class=StoryText align=justify>News earlier this year that construction work had started on the long awaited FIFA-funded football academy at Munro in St Elizabeth appeared to have little effect in football circles.
But Mr Boxhill pulled off a major coup in recent weeks when he coaxed the Government and sections of the private sector into a partnership that has now allowed him to sign a deal with the famous Mexico-based Serbian coach, Bora Milutinovic. This to guide the Reggae Boyz through their Back-to-Africa, World Cup qualifying campaign set to start early 2008.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Mr Boxhill would have gained even more ground this week with the news that brewers Red Stripe will sponsor the Reggae Boyz campaign to the tune of J$100 million.<P class=StoryText align=justify>On the field too, things have been looking up for Mr Boxhill. For while the Reggae Girls failed to qualify for the World Cup just recently, they performed creditably and are now ranked fourth in CONCACAF - which is a highly respected region in the context of international women's football.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And the Jamaica Under-20s' win on aggregate, 2-1, home and away, over Trinidad and Tobago this week means they are through to the finals of Under-20 CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers set for February.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Two months later, Jamaica will have a real chance of qualifying for the Under-17 World Cup when they play host to the USA, Canada, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago with three teams set to qualify from the Jamaica zone.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Then in June, both the women's team and the men's under-23s will have a chance to qualify for the Olympics when they compete at the Pan Am Games in Brazil.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In other words, even before the Back-to-Africa qualifying campaign begins, Mr Boxhill's team has a real chance of tasting real success with the qualification of men's age-group as well as the women's team to major tournaments.
For the short-term at least, things are looking up for Mr Boxhill. To borrow from the vernacular "tings a gwaan fi him".<P class=StoryText align=justify>Of course, as we have said, everything can change in a very short time. Take for example the recent comment by Mr Chris Deh
Comment