- RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Captain Horace Burrell (left), chief executive officer of The Captain's Bakery Ltd., presents the Captain's Bakery Major League winners' cup to Andrew Watson, Geoges Valley's captain, during the Manchester Football Association and Captain's Bakery Major League competition awards presentation at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, on Friday night.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
FORMER JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) president Captain Horace Burrell has called on Jamaicans to support Trinidad & Tobago in their bid to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Burrell was speaking at the 2005 Manchester Football Association's (MFA) annual presentation of awards and dinner on Friday night at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville.
"I would leave this podium, unless I ask everyone where, home and aboard to give full support to the Trinidad & Tobago football team, who is now on the verge of qualifying for the next World Cup in Germany," he said to a thunderous round of applaud from the audience.
Fourth place finishers in CONCACAF, Trinidad & Tobago , will face Bahrain in a home and away play-off on November 12 and 16 for a place in the 2006 World Cup finals.
If they are successful, they will become the second team from the English-speaking Caribbean to quality.
According to Burrell Trinidad's qualification will be good for the region, because we are all happy when a Caribbean team does well.
"Let's not be myopic, we can't be insular ... I don't like people who can't see further than the door ... we are living in a global village, and therefore, we have to, whenever we say or do anything at all, we have to always look at the bigger picture," he said.
SUPPORTING CARIBBEAN
"And the bigger picture here is ... we should support our Caribbean brothers," he added.
Burrell, who is also senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), said Trinidad & Tobago helped Jamaica to quality for France in 1998.
"I can recall in 1997, Trinidad hosting us at some crucial times. I remember spending one week in Trinidad, they looked after us, they played against us, and said, look, we want Jamaica to quality since we are not going to France."
Burrell said at that time, CONCACAF president and vice-president of FIFA, Austin 'Jack' Warner, and other Trinidadians rallied around Jamaica.
Burrell, also said Warner helped to find a place in the 1998 Gold Cup for Jamaica after the Reggae Boyz failed to qualify.
"Those of you who follow your football history will remember us failing to qualify for the Gold Cup in 1998, and it was the same Jack Warner who said, I have to find a way to put you there, because you have made us proud (at World Cup) and he gave Jamaica a bye, so let us not forget that," he argued.
Champions Georges Valley and beaten finalist Downs took home most of the top awards.
Georges Valley walked away with the Captain's Bakery Major League title and $200,000 while Downs took the runners-up Trophy.
Individual awardees in the Captain's Bakery Major League were Calvin Carter of champions Georges Valley took the top defender award, while his team-mate Levon Williams emerged the top goal keeper.
TOP GOALSCORER AWARD
The top goalscorer award went to Delano Nembhard of Downs with his teammate Gregory Adams taking the top midfielder award.
Francis Swaby of Hillstars won himself the Captain's Bakery youth player scholarship value at $15,000, which will be paid to his School, Spaulding.
Captain's Bakery Major League winners Goldstars and Hillstars were the beaten semi-finalists.
Captain Burrell, CEO of the Captain's Bakery, expressed satisfaction with this year's competition.
He said the level of enthusiasm he saw in the final, has made it easier for him to continue with the sponsorship.
"I am very, very satisfied at the level of discipline ... I know Dale Spencer is a disciplinarian, and he has my full support every time," Burrell said.
In the Alpart Mining Venture South Manchester League, Red Flames (Fire Department) took the champions Trophy.
The fair play Trophy went to Starliner, while Asia Strikers were awarded the best dressed team. The league's top goal scorer was Eraldo Peak of Starliner, Leon Wright of Old England took the top goalkeeper award while the MVP award went to Sheldon Smith of Starliner.
In the Power Services North Manchester League, Hope Village were crowned champions over Battersea.
Sandre Wilson of Hope Village was the MVP while Troy Thompson of Young Diamonds was the top goalscorer. Young Diamonds were adjudged the best dressed team.
The parish's Presidents' Cup Knockout winners were Los Perfectos while Mandeville won the Major League play-off.
In thanking the sponsors, Manchester Football Association's president Dale Spencer, said they will continue to develop the youth of the parish.
