Tweet
Reggae Boyz invest in local market
BY HOWARD WALKER Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, July 25, 2010
JAMAICAN professional footballers are playing their part in the economic survival of the nation, sending home a portion of their earnings which contributes significantly to their personal and family developments.
Despite the ongoing economic challenges resulting from the financial crisis, Jamaicans living abroad sent home 7.4 per cent more money to their families this February than at the same time last year, according to the International Fund of Agricultural Development.
GARDNER... veteran player with over 12 years' experience in the lucrative EPL
GARDNER... veteran player with over 12 years' experience in the lucrative EPL
1/1
Remittances are vital to the Jamaican economy, representing approximately 15 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year.
The Reggae Boyz might not be among the top earners in the sport, but they are raking in some decent cash from as high as US$150,000 (J$13m) a month to a low US$2,000 (J$170,000).
Horace Reid, general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), revealed that there are over 30 professional footballers plying their trade overseas and they are playing their part in nation building.
Said Reid: "Remittances are one of our main foreign exchange, so in the scheme of things, football is contributing significantly to our economic indicator in terms of income.
"Most of them are fairly comfortably, especially those that are playing in the UK (United Kingdom). Most if, not all, those players are reinvesting a substantial part of their earnings into the Jamaican economy. They are building new homes and supporting their families," said Reid.
As it currently stands, there are seven players each in England and the United States, six in Norway, two in Hungary and one in Sweden.
In additional, there are seven players strutting their stuff in the Caribbean, with four playing in Antigua and three in Trinidad and Tobago.
Since Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup Finals, approximately 42 players have gained contract overseas and the clubs and local-based players are more aware.
"This is why in the last couple of years we are seeing more young footballing talent eager to pursue a professional career in football," noted Reid.
"This was not the case 15 years ago. A lot more players are seeing it as an alternative and are pursuing it with vigour. Our talent is now being expose in numerous markets. We have players in Scandinavia; we have players as far as Russia, the UK, USA and other parts of the Caribbean," Reid added.
Senior local players are earning from between $20,000 to $50,000, with a few earning more. It was rumoured that certain star players from Waterhouse and Harbour View were carrying home as much as $150,000 per month.
"The economy is very tight and we could argue that they deserve more, and maybe they do. The fact is that clubs are struggling day to day," Reid pointed out.
But there can be no comparison to the salaries earned overseas to those earned locally. There are at least two players in the English Premier League that are at the high end of the salary scale, earning US$150,000 (J$13m) a month.
Players plying their trade overseas can usually be seen driving Mercedes Benz SUVs, Jaguar or Mitsubishi Montero Sports. Another player who plays in Norway, it was said, recently built a house for approximately J$20m after a few seasons.
"Their ambitions are to return to Jamaica eventually and settle down when they finish playing professionally overseas, which speaks to the reason they are reinvesting their monies into the Jamaican market," said Reid.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...market_7810054
BY HOWARD WALKER Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, July 25, 2010
JAMAICAN professional footballers are playing their part in the economic survival of the nation, sending home a portion of their earnings which contributes significantly to their personal and family developments.
Despite the ongoing economic challenges resulting from the financial crisis, Jamaicans living abroad sent home 7.4 per cent more money to their families this February than at the same time last year, according to the International Fund of Agricultural Development.
GARDNER... veteran player with over 12 years' experience in the lucrative EPL
GARDNER... veteran player with over 12 years' experience in the lucrative EPL 1/1 Remittances are vital to the Jamaican economy, representing approximately 15 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year.
The Reggae Boyz might not be among the top earners in the sport, but they are raking in some decent cash from as high as US$150,000 (J$13m) a month to a low US$2,000 (J$170,000).
Horace Reid, general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), revealed that there are over 30 professional footballers plying their trade overseas and they are playing their part in nation building.
Said Reid: "Remittances are one of our main foreign exchange, so in the scheme of things, football is contributing significantly to our economic indicator in terms of income.
"Most of them are fairly comfortably, especially those that are playing in the UK (United Kingdom). Most if, not all, those players are reinvesting a substantial part of their earnings into the Jamaican economy. They are building new homes and supporting their families," said Reid.
As it currently stands, there are seven players each in England and the United States, six in Norway, two in Hungary and one in Sweden.
In additional, there are seven players strutting their stuff in the Caribbean, with four playing in Antigua and three in Trinidad and Tobago.
Since Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup Finals, approximately 42 players have gained contract overseas and the clubs and local-based players are more aware.
"This is why in the last couple of years we are seeing more young footballing talent eager to pursue a professional career in football," noted Reid.
"This was not the case 15 years ago. A lot more players are seeing it as an alternative and are pursuing it with vigour. Our talent is now being expose in numerous markets. We have players in Scandinavia; we have players as far as Russia, the UK, USA and other parts of the Caribbean," Reid added.
Senior local players are earning from between $20,000 to $50,000, with a few earning more. It was rumoured that certain star players from Waterhouse and Harbour View were carrying home as much as $150,000 per month.
"The economy is very tight and we could argue that they deserve more, and maybe they do. The fact is that clubs are struggling day to day," Reid pointed out.
But there can be no comparison to the salaries earned overseas to those earned locally. There are at least two players in the English Premier League that are at the high end of the salary scale, earning US$150,000 (J$13m) a month.
Players plying their trade overseas can usually be seen driving Mercedes Benz SUVs, Jaguar or Mitsubishi Montero Sports. Another player who plays in Norway, it was said, recently built a house for approximately J$20m after a few seasons.
"Their ambitions are to return to Jamaica eventually and settle down when they finish playing professionally overseas, which speaks to the reason they are reinvesting their monies into the Jamaican market," said Reid.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...market_7810054
Comment