Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Ousted national technical director 'Bora' Milutinovic in a contemplative mood at yesterday's thanksgiving service for former national Under-17 football coach David Hunt. - Norman Grindley /Deputy Chief Photographer

IT'S OFFICIAL. 'Bora' is gone. It took Captain Horace Burrell a little over 72 hours to dismiss the Serb, Bora Milutinovic, from his post as technical director of Jamaica's football programme.

Even though the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) release, citing Bora's dismissal, was dispensed to the press late yesterday afternoon, Burrell told The Gleaner the much-travelled coach received his termination letter a little after 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Burrell, who was unanimously selected to head the JFF at its voting congress on Sunday last, had promised, prior to succeeding Crenston Boxhill, that he would make "sweeping changes".

Milutinovic was last year hired by the Boxhill administration, which had booted Burrell from office four years ago.

The JFF release stated Milutinovic was fired for "breach of contract" but did not divulge the details of what led to the coach's sacking.

Burrell would not budge when quizzed about the circumstances under which the technical director was axed.

"I am not prepared to divulge that," Burrell said yesterday.

Contract examined

"The board of directors met and had his contract examined by a Queen's Counsel of a leading law firm. We were advised and are pretty satisfied we have taken the right course and Mr. Bora was advised in a letter," said the new JFF boss.

"Since taking office, I've had three meetings with Mr. Bora, and at 11:00 p.m. last night, his letter of termination was handed to him," said the former army man now returned football supremo.

Burrell also would not divulge the former coach's compensation package.

The JFF release said Milutinovic would have been paid "within a reasonable period of time, from the date of the notice, the amount due to the technical director in accordance with the nature of his termination".

Not the done thing

"As a professional, I am not prepared to say anything further or to divulge the contents of the letter," Burrell insisted. "That's up to him. As a senior football administrator, that's not the done thing. What I am happy to say is that his services were terminated due to a breach of contract.

Brazilian, René Simoes, who joined forces with Burrell in 1995 to historically qualify Jamaica for the 1998 World Cup, along with Jamaican-born and former England international, John Barnes, are the names making the rounds as Milutinovic's successor.

However, Burrell, who was on his way out of the island, said this would be addressed over the next few weeks.

"I have been invited by the commissioner of the city of Lauderhill in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to take part in the opening of a football complex. I will be back in Jamaica on Saturday for another press conference regarding upcoming games," he said.

"We have confirmed the playing of two friendlies at The Office - one on the 18th (of this month) against El Salvador and the second on the 21st against Guatemala, and we have requested all our overseas-based players to report for duty," he added.

Burrell said he had no difficulty arranging the games, a direct contrast to the Boxhill administration under whose watch Jamaica played friendly games few and far between.

"I took up the telephone and I made two calls. When I tried to get the president of Guatemala's football, they at first told me he was not available. When I revealed who was calling, they immediately got him on his cell and he called me without hesitation," Burrell said. "He welcomed me back into the fold as president but was sad, saying Guatemala would now have a more difficult time defeating Jamaica in the World Cup qualifiers."