western bureau

So, except for two positions, which are to be decided by the federation's affiliates in November's voting congress, the new team that will lead the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) into the post Crenston Boxhill era is now in place.

While I am delighted to see Captain Horace Burrell back at the helm of our football, I can't say I am totally happy with some of the persons, who have been confirmed as members of the new executive. However, since they were selected by the affiliates, I guess I have no choice but to accept them.

Nonetheless, in light of the history of non-performance, by some of these persons, some of whom jumped ship in 2003, I believe that Captain Burrell should be quite wary of them. As far as I am concerned, unless their attitude to work has changed, they will be no more than impediments in the way of development.

more inclusive leader

As I stated in a previous column, I hope Captain Burrell will seek to become a more inclusive leader this time around as in addition to not being superman, he really needs to get his vice-presidents working because within recent years, these positions have all but become ceremonial.

In addition, rather than being bogged down with parochial matters, I would love to see Captain Burrell and Horace Reid, who should return as the federation's general secretary, concentrating on the rebuilding the tattered Reggae Boyz brand, which took such an awful battering under the outgoing administration.

As I stated in a previous column, I believe the vice-presidents should be given meaningful developmental responsibilities so as to help this new administration to cover more bases. My thinking is that each of the three vice-presidents should be given responsibility for one of youth development, infrastructural development or marketing.

In addition to their specific responsibilities, I also believe the vice- presidents should be empowered to go out and seek the assistance of persons of competence to assist them in properly servicing the respective portfolios. If football is to become the business it should be, we need to adopt a professional posture.

keeping affiliates happy

While I am not absolutely clear as to what role Ms. Lorraine Scringer will play in her capacity as the federation's administrator, I do hope that part of her role will be prevent the disconnect between the federation and the parish associations, which to my mind contributed to Captain Burrell's defeat in 2003. This administration has got to find a way to keep the affiliates happy.

I do hope that this new administration will continue with the position taken by the Boxhill administration to share the federation's profit with the parish associations. While $30,000 is probably no more than a drop in the bucket, it at least showed that the parent body is cognisant of the financial plight of the parish associations.

And speaking about the parish associations, I would also like to see the JFF arrange a senior all-island parish league with a view of creating exposure for senior footballers in the parishes without NPL teams. Surely, a national programme that does not expose the talent in all our parishes cannot be something we should be pleased about or consider as wholesome.

And lest I forget, I really hope the new federation will give serious thought to scrapping the confederation structure, which to my mind is more of a political or a power-broking tool than a serious path geared towards development.

NB. Please feel free to send your feedback to adrianfrater@hotmail.com