Steve Bucknor and his wife Leonora. - file

Western Bureau: When elite cricket umpire Steve Bucknor officially ends his tenure on the international stage after the two one-day internationals between the West Indies and England in Barbados this weekend, he might be forced to shelve all the plans he has to return home to Jamaica to rest, as a great deal of work is awaiting him here.

The 62-year-old Bucknor, who officially concluded his Test umpiring career in South Africa when he completed his record 128 Test matches in the final Test between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town, will have stakeholders in cricket, football and athletics jostling to have him among their ranks.

"We want him to walk right back into football because he is one who served the sport well at an administrative level," said Lilli-Mae Crawford, the competition's director for St James football. "He is excellent when it comes to assisting in the implementation of programmes and in so many other important areas in the sport. We are ready to welcome him back."

The Western Track and Field Association (WTFA), of which Bucknor is a founding member, is also anxiously awaiting his return so that they can draft him into various programmes, which includes operating as a track official at major meets.

"He is still a member of the WTFA and we are ready and waiting to have him back with us," said Sharon Frater, an executive member of the WTFA. "With his vast experience as a former athlete and one who has served the WTA before, we know he will help in grooming the younger members of our association."

legendary friend

Veteran cricket administrator Jerry Reid, who was Bucknor's teammate in the era in which he represented St James in cricket, football and athletics, and later as a colleague on both the St James football and cricket boards, wants his legendary friend to return to cricket.

"I would love to see him return to cricket to assist in the training of umpires and in coaching because he has the knowledge and expertise to make a significant impact," said Reid. "However, I suspect that he will go to football because I still believe that football is his first love."

Vice chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation's Western Confederation, Craig Oates, believes each sport will get a little of Bucknor but, according to him it is football which needs him, most.

"Football administration needs a man like Bucknor because he commands the respect of players, administrators and sponsors," said Oates. "Football in the west is badly polarised at this time and the sport needs a person of Bucknor's stature to come in and put our football house in order."

When he announced his retirement in an exclusive interview with The Gleaner back in February, Bucknor strongly hinted that he plans to answer a long-standing request from football interests in St James to offer his service as president of the parish's football association. He also confirmed earlier reports that he will be the new coach of the Cornwall College daCosta Cup team.

With so much demand on his time and expertise, which includes being the CEO of 'The Steve Bucknor Youth Football Academy', should he even partially answer to all the calls being made for his service, Bucknor could well find himself with a more gruelling schedule than when he travelled the world to officiate in international matches.