Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
EVERYBODY WITH an interest in football in Jamaica is talking about Captain Horace Burrell and his new administration's plans to revitalise the national programme.
I am no different. Now, before I go into what my thoughts are on the issues that have come out of Burrell's one-man march back to the post of Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, let me first welcome him back to a position many are of the opinion should forever be his.
As president of the JFF, the captain has no equal and has undoubtedly played a major role in catapulting Jamaica's football to th it has attained, with the pinnacle of its success coming from its 1998 World Cup berth.
However, I am afraid that he is making a mistake at this point. Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, agreed, has had no impact on Jamaica's football since his arrival but I don't think firing him - and it looks set to happen - is the right move.
Cost of firing Bora
Firstly, firing him could be costly. With more than two years remaining on his contract, the JFF could be looking at a $200 million bill just to get rid of him. Then there is the bill that will come with hiring a new coach.
It has been widely speculated that the iconic figure of Rene Simoes is set to make a return, which means there will be another contract to deal with and another large sum for corporate Jamaica or the Government or both to dole out.
These expenses are going to be difficult to contend with and I gather the JFF's finances are not in the sparkling shape that has been reported in recent times.
As a matter of fact, the figure of indebtedness is quickly accelerating towards the $100-million mark.
With that kind of debt, how can the captain's first course of action be to spend more money, even if it is not the JFF, which will eventually foot the bill?
The other question comes from the captain's reason for firing the well-travelled, well-respected coach.
According to reliable information, the new administration feels strongly that 'Bora' has not done any work. I think they are wrong.
No offence to Crenston Boxhill, but I think 'Bora's' inefficiencies were his administration's fault.
Hamstrung by financial woes, Boxhill never allowed 'Bora' to do those things a coach does.
Firstly, we can count the amount of major practice matches he has had and we can further count the number of international players he has been able to put on to the field.
Local talent
While the coach did say he was going to be looking for local talent, I'm sure he had all intentions of trying to integrate that local talent with the experience and quality of overseas-based players. He was never given that chance.
As a matter of fact, the last three practice matches of any worth that Bora attempted to have played were cancelled.
Then of course, is the fact that the national team had no serious competitions to play, and this happened before Bora and was as a result of the flip-flopping of Boxhill's administration on whether or not Carl Brown was good enough to run the show during the Digicel Cup.
With all of this in mind, I still don't know what 'Bora' has to offer to Jamaica's football and with the captain's decision, I guess neither the nation nor I will ever find out.
The only saving grace of the decision is the appointment of someone that we already know - that is, of course, if the rumours happen to be true and I think they are.
We know what Simoes is capable of and he has done it here before, so it might not be a case of starting over with just two years to go before the World Cup.
However, we have to bear in mind the fact that last time out, Simoes had more time to come up with a successful plan. This time around it'll be much harder.
Send feedback to Paul-Andre. Walker@gleanerjm.com
