THE EDITOR, Sir:TO ANY aspiring sports journalist/sports writer/sports enthusiast, football fanatic, call it what you will this weekend's Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) presidential election is the most significant in its history, and will no doubt shape Jamaica's football for the next four to five years.
Let's examine the two candidates briefly Captain Horace Burrell has undoubtedly done a lot for Jamaica's football, some may say that he could be regarded as the 'saviour', because he and his team of disciples had transformed the Jamaica national football team from being the beating sticks of CONCACAF, to being somewhat of a force in CONCACAF and other countries in the region had to start taking note of the Jamaica national team.
Having said that however, I am of the view that although we achieved a lot by qualifying for the World Cup in France in 1998 and subsequently to two World Youth Cups at the Under-17 and Under-20 Level, there seemed to be a lack of real continuity and stability in the Jamaica national programme at all levels, not only at the Youth Level which has been emphasised so forcefully by the Crenston Boxhill team.
This leads me to the challenger Mr. Boxhill.
Before the Boxhill team had announced their manifesto on Wednesday last, a lot of persons in the wider society and the media thought that Burrell would have walked away with the presidency hands down, clearly the Boxhill team didn't have the clout of the Burrell's team and his FIFA affiliation and the timing of the SEPP Blatter, Jack Warner visits.
Mr. Boxhill clearly has won over some persons with his presentation, 'Kicking Complacency, Tackling Development'. I was impressed with their vision for Jamaica's football and a solid youth programme as the way forward. Please don't get me wrong, this must not be achieved at the detriment of the senior programme, however I would like to see a programme built from bottom up, rather than from top down.
THE BEST FOR JAMAICA'S FOOTBALL
I sincerely want the best for Jamaica's Football whether it is a Crenston Boxhill-led JFF or a Capt. Burrell-led JFF. However what I don't want is complacency and the air of arrogance to the development of Jamaica's football, I want to see a manifesto by the Burrell team highlighting their plans for the long-term development of the Football, not the band-aid approach that we have been accustomed to in the past.
Whichever decision is taken today, both teams must find a way to work together for the interest of Jamaica's football. After all, the game of football is bigger than personalities.
I am, etc.,
Z. HAMILTON
Greater Portmore
St. Catherine
