Crucial trip for JFF boss
Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport (Gleaner)
THE top brass of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Captain Horace Burrell, its president, and general secretary Horace Reid are leaving the island today for a series of crucial, high-level meetings in Europe that, among other things, could finalise plans for the FIFA Goal Project, clearing a long-standing debt with the English Football Association and confirming deals with a kit sponsor and airline company Virgin Atlantic.
In fact, Burrell pointed out that at one of the scheduled discussions, with Federation of Interna-tional Football Associations (FIFA) president Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter, at the sport's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, they will be making a presentation for a second Goal Project.
Actually, the first project - which was launched in 2003 - is incomplete as different philosophies by the respective administrations that have served within the five years have seen the shifting of the site back and forth from Portmore to St Elizabeth.
Only recently, the fairly new JFF board of directors agreed on the final shift to Portmore, and the proposal sent to FIFA, which provides funding valued at US$400,000 (approximately J$28m), with additional grants up to US$200,000 (J$14m).
Goal Project
"We'll go to Switzerland to meet with the president of FIFA, Mr Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter, to try and finalise arrangements for the Goal Project and also further technical assistance for the national programme," Burrell explained.
"Most federations around the world have already received their second Goal Project. Unfortunately, Jamaica has found itself way behind and has not even completed our first. We intend to use this opportunity to ask FIFA to fasttrack our first Goal Project and to assist us with the second Goal Project."
He added: "In fact, it is our hope that we'll be able to ask them for enough funding to complete our proposed training centre, which will be moved to a new site once the FIFA approval is granted."
Blatter had broken ground at Portmore for the Goal Project while Burrell served as JFF president, before being beaten at the polls by Crenston Boxhill in November 2003.
Also, Burrell said: "There are courses available at the expense of FIFA to do with administrative courses for those serving at the parish association levels, as well as clubs, and we'll be looking to garner some of those opportunities for those who serve football here in Jamaica."
The visit to FIFA will be preceded by trips to Italy and Germany, and England where they launch their engagements with the English FA tomorrow.
Further discussions
"Its twofold," noted Burrell. "First of all, we're going to be meeting with the hierarchy of the English FA to hold further discussions on the outstanding balance owed to them from the Boxhill administration, which amounts to some J$22m which should have been paid over to them for match tickets given to the federation during the England-Jamaica encounter (June 3, 2006) before the World Cup Finals (Germany 2006).
"This, to say the least, is somewhat embarrassing ... We will have to do all that is within our powers to put this matter to rest as currently, it'd be difficult to play any international games in the United Kingdom without first taking care of this issue."
The JFF had discussions with executives of the English FA when it invited them here at the time when Jamaica played Trinidad and Tobago at the National Stadium on March 26. The British FA's executive Simon Johnson spoke about the debt at a post-match press conference.
Burrell also said: "In addition, we will discuss technical cooperation with the English FA, including training courses and other kinds of assistance available."
While in Britain, the JFF officials will also meet with executives of Virgin Atlantic airlines in an effort to secure a sponsorship deal that cushions the effects of transportation costs for its players, who must fly across the Atlantic regularly for international fixtures.
No concessionary rates
"We're expected to meet again with the management of Virgin Airlines, which is being made possible through the assistance of Air Jamaica. It's very important because flying our players business class to and from the UK is becoming prohibitive since the withdrawal of Air Jamaica's flights, on which we used to get concessionary rates," Burrell pointed out.
"Air Jamaica is facilitating a meeting directly between the federation and Virgin Atlantic Airlines and we're hopeful that we can broker a deal which would enable us to get business-class seats at a more affordable price."
By way of example, he pointed to the recent Trinidad and Tobago match here.
"In the last friendly international against Trinidad and Tobago, the cost to the JFF for bringing home our players amounted to approximately $6m, which cannot be sustained if we're to bring home our players for international games on a regular basis and, therefore, the meeting with Virgin Atlantic will be very crucial."
He added: "We will also be meeting with the club officials of our players in order to maintain a good relationship as this is very important."
The JFF also expects to sign a deal for gears sponsorship, following discussions they are looking to finalise on the German and Italian-leg of this trip.
Optimistic
"We will also be travelling to Italy and Germany and I am optimistic that I will be able to sign a deal with an established kit manufacturer," Burrell said.
"It is extremely difficult to move forward with football development at the international level without having a reputable kit sponsor as a part of the programme and, therefore, we intend to try our endeavour best to conclude the many months of discussions by officially signing with a new kit supplier."
German manufacturers Uhlsport last sponsored the JFF with football kits, before the deal expired approximately two years ago.
