Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
File photo shows former England soccer star, John Barnes (left), talking to a Greek Orthodox priest in a church in the Arab town of Sakhnin in the north of Israel on March 6. Barnes was visiting Israel with an English Football Association delegation to launch a local campaign against racism in football. - REUTERS
JAMAICAN-BORN JOHN Barnes could be this country's next technical director after being wooed by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) during Jamaica's two-match tour of England.
It is understood that Barnes, who lives in England, has been approached by the JFF and arrangements are in place to secure sponsorship to accommodate his salary package.
When contacted by The Gleaner yesterday, Barnes refused to confirm or deny that he has been approached or has taken the job, only saying that, "you would have to go through the JFF for them to make that announcement".
THE PROPER CHANNEL
Said Barnes: "The JFF will tell you what you want to know. They are the proper channel to go through. When it's fit and proper to make an announcement they will make an announcement.
"If you talk to the JFF they will tell you, then you can talk to me. But up to this point, I can't say anything," added Barnes.
Efforts to reach the hierarchy of the JFF proved futile as both the president Crenston Boxhill and his general secretary Burchell Gibson are in Germany at the World Cup Finals.
Barnes, who had a short coaching stint with Celtic of Scotland, was quoted on a radio station only last week saying he would love to get back into the coaching business.
Barnes, 43, was born in Kingston and attended St. George's College before migrating to England where he had a very successful football career.
He gained worldwide recognition after he mesmerised the Brazilian defenders to score a brilliant solo goal for England in Rio's Maracana Stadium on 10th June 1984.
ENGLISH FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of his contribution to the English game and received a British national award - MBE, Member of the Order of the British Empire.
Barnes, who is the son of Colonel Ken Barnes, president of the Jamaica Boxing Board, would take over from Wendell Downswell who has had some embarrassing results of late.
When Downswell took over the reins after Jamaica's unsuccessful World Cup campaign, he quickly established himself by winning the Digicel Cup with a young team.
But lately, the results have been going against him with some heavy defeats in his last three games.
Jamaica were hammered 5-0 by Australia before losing 4-1 to Ghana and 6-0 to England two Saturdays ago.
