Sport: Its Ricketts, Jamaica Football Baton passes to Clarendon Chief

It was campaign invested with drama from beyond.

The passing of talismanic Jamaican football boss Horace Burrell, essentially midway through his four-year term, threw open the administration of football for a new leader at what could hardly be a more critical time.

With the embarrassing impasse between the Premier League Clubs Association and the Professional Footballers Association with Premiere League Club Montego Bay United and the larger issue of  moribund finances hanging over the body, and the added challenge of a FIFA-mandated audit (which JFF Finance Director Garry Sinclair indicated was part of an annual draw by the world body), the 13 Parish Associations had a lot consider in casting their respective votes  for the  two contenders.

In the end, the affable yet somewhat media-shy head of the Clarendon FA, Michael Ricketts, who polled the comfortable majority of 8 votes to 5, defeating former Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) boss and well-known football pundit, whose response to the outcome made it all but clear that he intends to challenge forthe post when the elections come up again in 2019.

Meanwhile, the new President, thankful and magnanimous in victory, declared himself "excited, elated but humble" and recognizing the scope of the task ahead of him.

In this regard, a key figure is VP and Finance Director Garry Sinclair, who is already bringing his experience combatting financial adversity at telecoms giant FLOW. In  a prelude to the President's contribution to the post-election Press Brief says the organization is strengthening its marketing


The Finance head also debunked a widely circulated report that the JFF was drowning in debt to the tune of almost 400million. Aided by General Secretary Raymond Grant, the media were told that the deficit, as at end of June, was J$265.1 million, and that the organization was actively negotiating with its creditors - including the commercial banks - to sacle that very daunting mountain.

Meanwhile, in his first official announcement, the new President read an agreement between the aforementioned parties for the start of the 2017-18 Red Stripe Premiere League on Sunday September 24. regarding contentious club Mobay United, the President advised that the club will be paid the full amount in question, sans interest and less any fines and statutory deductions.

He said he was confident that his team had the mental wherewithal to solve the problems of the psort, with the requisite support from the Associatioions and the staff and.....of course.....the public