Burrell

NEWLY RE-INSTALLED president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Captain Horace Burrell, has expressed full support for the Premier League Clubs Association, saying "It's here to stay."

The PLCA - a conglomerate of teams participating in the national league - was formed by the premier league clubs to rescue themselves from the suffocating financial burdens they encounter each season.

Its board consists of a representative from each of the 12 participating teams and its chairman, former Prime Minister and president of Tivoli Gardens Football Club, Edward Seaga.

"Let me first of all commend these people who have come together to form this very important body, the PLCA. This is the way football is administered," Captain Burrell stated at a press conference to officially announce Locker Room Sports' sponsorship of the Cash Plus Premier League (CPPL) at the Hilton Kingston hotel, yesterday morning.

"I know that for many years the JFF has been in charge of running the premier league competition and this started from ever since we started playing football at the national level. But let me say this new JFF is fully in support of the PLCA and the initiatives taken so far," he added.

Rumours

"I know that some persons are a little concerned at this time as to whether or not the relationship is going to work. Let me quickly dispel all rumours that people now have. The PLCA is here to stay and the PLCA has the full backing of the new JFF," Burrell said.

Burrell, whose administration returned to office unopposed at the JFF's voting Congress in Hanover on Sunday, pointed to other reasons contributing to the PLCA's significance.

"On Sunday an eight-point initiative was outlined at the Congress and having outlined that, one of the very important points which we spoke about was the new PLCA," he said. "It is important because in order to reach the next level we must have an united body in football outside of the JFF.

"The JFF is responsible for the general administration of football such as taking care of all the national teams, developing the sport at the national level and so on. But as it relates to the day-to-day running of the club activities, I am very happy that the clubs have come together and have formed this very important body. That is the way to go to take it to the next level."