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Boxhill calls for '12th man'
... seeks support for Boyz in U-17 qualifiers
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Observer staff reporter
Friday, April 20, 2007
JFF president Crenston Boxhill has made an impassioned plea to Jamaicans to "come out and support" the Under-17 footballers as they begin their bid to qualify for the Youth World Cup to be staged in South Korea from August 18 to September.
Boxhill, speaking at a media conference in New Kingston yesterday, said the Young Reggae Boyz will need a "12th man" if they are to succeed in the CONCACAF Group B qualifying tournament to be held at the National Stadium from April 28 to May 6.
"It would be very disheartening for the players to play to an empty stadium, so we can only hope that we have a massive crowd support cheering them on to give them that lift," he said.
"I'm appealing to the nation to rally around this team and support them in all four games," Boxhill added.
Boxhill noted that the team "is the foundation of Jamaica's football" and deserved all the support they can get in following their dream to Asia.
"I would like to take this opportunity to say to the nation that this squad is the foundation of Jamaica's football. I believe they are one of the better prepared national teams and deserves to get all the support they need," he said.
(From left) General secretary of the JFF Burchell Gibson, JFF president Crenston Boxhill, JMMB's Marguerite Cremin, technical director 'Bora' Milutinovic, Under-17 team captain Dever Orgill and Under-17 coach David Hunt pose with a symbolic cheque at a presentation at the offices of the JFF yesterday. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)
Jamaica will host the USA, Canada, Costa Rica and neighbours Trinidad & Tobago in a round-robin tournament from which three nations will advance to South Korea.
From the CONCACAF Group A tournament played in Honduras recently, Caribbean side Haiti and the hosts have booked their spots in the Under-17 World Cup. Champions Mexico failed to progress from this group.
Meanwhile, the cash-strapped JFF is faced with an $18 million budget to host the tournament, and so far the funds have been trickling in.
General secretary Burchell Gibson said the JFF is bracing itself for what is expected to be a $15-million loss from the venture.
"The shortfall is approximately $15- million and so far we're only able to garner less than $3 million," Gibson told the Observer.
He suggested though that if the Jamaican people respond in a serious way to pleas to turn up at the National Stadium and support the team, then there is a chance to recover most if not all the cost of staging the tournament.
"If we get approximately 20,000 people in the bleachers for example at a cost of $200, then the entire expense would be wiped out, so our appeal at this moment, is to have Jamaica come out and support the (Young) Reggae Boyz on their quest for South Korea," he said.
But the bleachers' section of the Stadium will be opened only if there is an overwhelming response by Jamaica in terms of ticket purchases. For now, only the grand stand is figured into the plans at a cost of $400 per person.
Through a number of initiatives - for example the purchase of bulk tickets by corporate companies and schools - the JFF hopes to fill the Stadium for Jamaica's four games.
And in the event the JFF fails to recover the costs of staging the series, Gibson argued that it could be considered money well spent.
"We look at it as an investment in the players...," he noted.
While age group football continues to be the scorn of wider corporate Jamaica, there are those companies that continue to be a friend of the sport on all levels. At yesterday's press function, the Chase Fund-supported Sports Development Foundation (SDF) presented a cheque for $1 million, while Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) donated $150,000.
"We are grateful for all the sponsors that are on board and the efforts that they are making to assist at this age level," Gibson said.
Speaking yesterday, general manager of the SDF, Ludlow Watts, gave two main reasons why the foundation was spurred to help in this case.
"There is a structure in place which suggests that there is continuity; and secondly, I believe that sponsorship is hard to come by, so I recognised that they were going to need help," he said.
... seeks support for Boyz in U-17 qualifiers
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Observer staff reporter
Friday, April 20, 2007
JFF president Crenston Boxhill has made an impassioned plea to Jamaicans to "come out and support" the Under-17 footballers as they begin their bid to qualify for the Youth World Cup to be staged in South Korea from August 18 to September.
Boxhill, speaking at a media conference in New Kingston yesterday, said the Young Reggae Boyz will need a "12th man" if they are to succeed in the CONCACAF Group B qualifying tournament to be held at the National Stadium from April 28 to May 6.
"It would be very disheartening for the players to play to an empty stadium, so we can only hope that we have a massive crowd support cheering them on to give them that lift," he said.
"I'm appealing to the nation to rally around this team and support them in all four games," Boxhill added.
Boxhill noted that the team "is the foundation of Jamaica's football" and deserved all the support they can get in following their dream to Asia.
"I would like to take this opportunity to say to the nation that this squad is the foundation of Jamaica's football. I believe they are one of the better prepared national teams and deserves to get all the support they need," he said.
(From left) General secretary of the JFF Burchell Gibson, JFF president Crenston Boxhill, JMMB's Marguerite Cremin, technical director 'Bora' Milutinovic, Under-17 team captain Dever Orgill and Under-17 coach David Hunt pose with a symbolic cheque at a presentation at the offices of the JFF yesterday. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)
Jamaica will host the USA, Canada, Costa Rica and neighbours Trinidad & Tobago in a round-robin tournament from which three nations will advance to South Korea.
From the CONCACAF Group A tournament played in Honduras recently, Caribbean side Haiti and the hosts have booked their spots in the Under-17 World Cup. Champions Mexico failed to progress from this group.
Meanwhile, the cash-strapped JFF is faced with an $18 million budget to host the tournament, and so far the funds have been trickling in.
General secretary Burchell Gibson said the JFF is bracing itself for what is expected to be a $15-million loss from the venture.
"The shortfall is approximately $15- million and so far we're only able to garner less than $3 million," Gibson told the Observer.
He suggested though that if the Jamaican people respond in a serious way to pleas to turn up at the National Stadium and support the team, then there is a chance to recover most if not all the cost of staging the tournament.
"If we get approximately 20,000 people in the bleachers for example at a cost of $200, then the entire expense would be wiped out, so our appeal at this moment, is to have Jamaica come out and support the (Young) Reggae Boyz on their quest for South Korea," he said.
But the bleachers' section of the Stadium will be opened only if there is an overwhelming response by Jamaica in terms of ticket purchases. For now, only the grand stand is figured into the plans at a cost of $400 per person.
Through a number of initiatives - for example the purchase of bulk tickets by corporate companies and schools - the JFF hopes to fill the Stadium for Jamaica's four games.
And in the event the JFF fails to recover the costs of staging the series, Gibson argued that it could be considered money well spent.
"We look at it as an investment in the players...," he noted.
While age group football continues to be the scorn of wider corporate Jamaica, there are those companies that continue to be a friend of the sport on all levels. At yesterday's press function, the Chase Fund-supported Sports Development Foundation (SDF) presented a cheque for $1 million, while Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) donated $150,000.
"We are grateful for all the sponsors that are on board and the efforts that they are making to assist at this age level," Gibson said.
Speaking yesterday, general manager of the SDF, Ludlow Watts, gave two main reasons why the foundation was spurred to help in this case.
"There is a structure in place which suggests that there is continuity; and secondly, I believe that sponsorship is hard to come by, so I recognised that they were going to need help," he said.
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