LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA FOOTBALL Federation (JFF) President Crenston Boxhill has suggested that Everton Tomlinson is being controlled by a 'greater force'.
Tomlinson, president of the Westmoreland Football Association (WFA), last week said he was disappointed with the current football administration and would support a no-confidence vote at next Sunday's congress.
Boxhill said he was surprised at Tomlinson's comments and that it sounded like he was speaking for someone.
"I believe that speech was written and handed to Everton to read," said Boxhill on Saturday, intimating that former president Captain Horace Burrell had an influence on the content of the speech.
Burrell's Captain's Bakery sponsors the WFA Major League and the comments were made at the launch of the league last Thursday.
Tomlinson also blasted the format of the National Premier League, saying it made it too easy for a team to be prematurely declared champion.
"It is strange Everton would say something like this," Boxhill continued. "He was at the meeting when we were discussing changing the format of the league and he said nothing then so I don't understand why this is coming up now. Clearly these aren't truly his words."
Tomlinson also criticised the JFF for ignoring its pleas to replace a stolen computer.
However, Boxhill said during his criticism Tomlinson failed to mention that the JFF had originally supplied the WFA with the computer.
POSITIONS
Tomlinson holds several positions in the JFF. He is chairman of the Western Confederation, on the board of directors and a member of the technical and management committee. He has denied the claims laid against him by Boxhill.
"Those are my words. I wrote my speech myself. I was speaking as the confed chairman and I stand by what I said," stated Tomlinson. "Does he think I cannot write my own speech. Is he trying to insult me? I was expressing my displeasure with how he has treated the Western Confederation."
Tomlinson added: "I was at no meeting where they were discussing changing the league format. If I was there I would have told them not to go that route because it doesn't fit the Jamaican culture."
Despite Tomlinson's latest declaration, Boxhill said he is not fazed about losing his seat come next Sunday.
"I am still confident," he said. "The small group of detractors are trying hard but they are in it for personal reasons. They don't care about the development of the game in the country."
Boxhill is facing the possi-bility of a no-confidence vote for the second consecutive year. Boxhill will lose his seat as president if 69 of the 104 delegates vote against him at Sunday's JFF Congress in St. Elizabeth.
At the launch of the Captain's Bakery Westmoreland Major League, Burrell said if the post is available and if requested by the delegates he would take up the post as president.
