HORACE BISHOP, STAR Writer

Former Reggae Girlz head coach, Merron Gordon, has refuted claims he was fired by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) after a failed nine-month campaign that saw the national female football team fail in their quest for a place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Gordon, who coached Lennon High School to five consecutive Inter-Secondary School Sports association's (ISSA) schoolgirl football titles, insisted he took the time off to spend with his family and concentrate on his job at Lennon.

"After the campaign didn't qualify for the World Cup, I did some introspection and decided that I want a break from football to recharge the batteries, spend some quality time with my family, and with my job as a teacher at Lennon High School," Gordon insisted.

He stated that he has laid a good foundation for his successor, and walking away will allow for new ideas to come to the fore as it relates to the female programme.

He, however, remained adamant that, if the Girlz are not engaged in more international games, they may not qualify for a World Cup. "After leaving (World Cup campaign) and coming home, I assessed everything,"said Gordon.

different person

"Basically, I don't want to go back to the team with the same old same old. I am a different person, I prefer to give somebody else a chance, I will not hold on to this job forever."

Reacting to the claims of being dumped by the JFF to facilitate Barbican female football team coach Charles Edwards ascension to the national women's programme, Gordon said, "I don't know about any firing. I resigned from my post."

Last Monday, JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, in a presentation at the Sherwin Williams Women’s League, asserted that Edwards will be included in the national set-up.