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Of football and better times
western bureau
Within recent times, it is becoming increasingly clear to all and sundry that St.James' football, which was once a source of such great pride, is now no more than a symbol of ridicule, embarrassment and shame
In the just concluded 2006-07 Wray & Nephew NPL competition, the parish lost former national champions Wadadah FC to relegation and although Seba escaped a similar indignity, their tenth place finish - the worst among the non-relegated teams in the twelve-team competition - must be a worrying sign for the future.
While Wadadah and Seba United have been relegated at different times in the past, their tenth and eleventh place finishes this year is without a doubt their worst combined performance in any one season. One shudders to think what would have happened to the once proud image of St. James' football had both teams been relegated.
While I do agree with the recent sentiments expressed by revered umpire Steve Bucknor, who singled out poor coaching and the failure of the top clubs to in meaningful youth programmes as factors affecting St. James football, I believe it goes much deeper than that.
In a recent conversation with former St. James FA president Wesmore Thomas, who was at the helm of the parish's football in the glory days of the 1980s and 90s, he reminded me that success then was as a result of the united effort of everyone - board, clubs, players, business community and the media.
high visibility
He also reminded me that St. James football had such high visibility at the time, primarily through the exploits of the M-16s - the parish's star-studded team - and the attractiveness of the local domestic leagues that sponsors were all but falling over each other to get a chance to identify with what was happening.
As if to complement the parish programme at the time, through
the instrumentality of persons such as Burchell Henry, Robert Paul and Hope Sterling, who ran the Western Hotel Sports Association, the
circuit was an integral of the development process, providing employment for just about every promising footballer, who showed real potential.
In was that fabulous period which spawned the emergence of players such as Warren Barrett, Durrant Brown, Hector Wright, Steve Malcolm, Devon Dunkley, Devon Rickettes, Stennett Samms, Winston Anglin and Paul 'Tegat' Davis, who all went on to represent with distinction.
missing dynamism
Today, the dynamism of a Wesmore Thomas is missing from our football, so is the input from the business community and the hotel sector, possibly except for involvement. As a consequence, the burden of carrying the parish's football is now left on Wadadah and Seba, who generally lack the resources to manage on their own.
When one remembers the kind of Montego Bay we use to have when football was flourishing and being a good footballer was the gateway to a job in the hotel sector, it is said that no one has seen the need to re-visit the blueprint that worked so admirably and had our communities functioning harmoniously.
Instead of concentrating all their efforts on seeking a policy
solution to the problems facing the parish, maybe our city fathers and business leaders would be better served by pumping more resources into sports so our young men could re-direct the energies into sports instead of fighting each other.
While Wadadah and Seba United have been relegated at different times in the past, their tenth and eleventh place finishes this year is without a doubt their worst combined performance in any one season
western bureau
Within recent times, it is becoming increasingly clear to all and sundry that St.James' football, which was once a source of such great pride, is now no more than a symbol of ridicule, embarrassment and shame
In the just concluded 2006-07 Wray & Nephew NPL competition, the parish lost former national champions Wadadah FC to relegation and although Seba escaped a similar indignity, their tenth place finish - the worst among the non-relegated teams in the twelve-team competition - must be a worrying sign for the future.
While Wadadah and Seba United have been relegated at different times in the past, their tenth and eleventh place finishes this year is without a doubt their worst combined performance in any one season. One shudders to think what would have happened to the once proud image of St. James' football had both teams been relegated.
While I do agree with the recent sentiments expressed by revered umpire Steve Bucknor, who singled out poor coaching and the failure of the top clubs to in meaningful youth programmes as factors affecting St. James football, I believe it goes much deeper than that.
In a recent conversation with former St. James FA president Wesmore Thomas, who was at the helm of the parish's football in the glory days of the 1980s and 90s, he reminded me that success then was as a result of the united effort of everyone - board, clubs, players, business community and the media.
high visibility
He also reminded me that St. James football had such high visibility at the time, primarily through the exploits of the M-16s - the parish's star-studded team - and the attractiveness of the local domestic leagues that sponsors were all but falling over each other to get a chance to identify with what was happening.
As if to complement the parish programme at the time, through
the instrumentality of persons such as Burchell Henry, Robert Paul and Hope Sterling, who ran the Western Hotel Sports Association, the
circuit was an integral of the development process, providing employment for just about every promising footballer, who showed real potential.
In was that fabulous period which spawned the emergence of players such as Warren Barrett, Durrant Brown, Hector Wright, Steve Malcolm, Devon Dunkley, Devon Rickettes, Stennett Samms, Winston Anglin and Paul 'Tegat' Davis, who all went on to represent with distinction.
missing dynamism
Today, the dynamism of a Wesmore Thomas is missing from our football, so is the input from the business community and the hotel sector, possibly except for involvement. As a consequence, the burden of carrying the parish's football is now left on Wadadah and Seba, who generally lack the resources to manage on their own.
When one remembers the kind of Montego Bay we use to have when football was flourishing and being a good footballer was the gateway to a job in the hotel sector, it is said that no one has seen the need to re-visit the blueprint that worked so admirably and had our communities functioning harmoniously.
Instead of concentrating all their efforts on seeking a policy
solution to the problems facing the parish, maybe our city fathers and business leaders would be better served by pumping more resources into sports so our young men could re-direct the energies into sports instead of fighting each other.
While Wadadah and Seba United have been relegated at different times in the past, their tenth and eleventh place finishes this year is without a doubt their worst combined performance in any one season