Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Although I will probably remain eternally grateful to Captain Horace Burrell, the Jamaica Football Federation(JFF) boss, for the pivotal role he played in Jamaica's historic qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, I must admit that I am very disappointed with the way he has been leading the federation recently.

While some of our CONCACAF neighbours, who were no more than curious onlookers when the likes of Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore and Robbie Earle were writing their names in the annals of global football on the big stage in France, are now making rapid strides, our football has seemingly hit either the pause button or reverse.

In fact, our current lack of progress is probably giving credence to the notion, expressed by some European nations back in 1998, that our qualification was arguably one of the 'freakiest' events that has ever occurred in world football. The current situation has saddened me because I strongly believe we can do much better in terms of putting in proper programmes for development.

As I have stated many times in this column and other media, I have absolutely no respect for the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) because, unlike its predecessors, including the original Craven 'A' National League, which was contested by all 14 parish champions annually, the current league is a lopsided joke, primarily aimed at satisfying those selfish football administrators, who are of the view that Kingston is Jamaica.

While it probably could be fairly argued that the current disparity between Kingston and rural areas in schoolboy football is an indication that the urban area is the undisputed seat of football power in Jamaica, I think the real reason, is that, while the Manning Cup players have the RSPL to aspire towards, except for St James, Westmoreland and Clarendon, which have National Premier League teams, the other rural parishes have nothing.

It was against that background that I was absolutely elated when Captain Burrell announced a few years ago that the JFF would be seeking to boost professional local football by introducing a franchise system, which, unlike the RSPL, would embrace all regions of the country, opening up opportunities to players far and wide.

Also, I was not the least bit surprised by the initial reaction of KSAFA officials, who, as a result of their parochial outlook, poured cold water on the idea, seemingly content with the current stagnation, which seems to suit them, in terms of hanging on to power, while keeping rural Jamaica marginalised and out of favour.

If I should use United States' president Barack Obama's assessment of the 'cold war' relationship between Cuba and the US as an example, the JFF should realise that, after so many years of doing something a particular way without success, it is really about time that we try something else in the hope of getting better results.

Unfortunately, either as a result of a fear of earning the wrath of the powerful KSAFA or simply being meek, the JFF has once again shifted the goal post in regards to putting the plans for the proposed franchise system in motion, not taking into consideration the fact that, we are further setting back our chances of breaking out of the current stagnant state.

As I stated in last week's column, in which I looked at the success of the Jamaica's track and field team, which dominated the 2015 Carifta Games, I believe our young footballers are just as gifted as the track athletes but unfortunately, while the athletes have the fantastic programmes at the MVP and Racers track clubs to move on to, the footballer have no more than the woefully inadequate RSPL to absorb them.

I am just hoping that as Burrell and the JFF continue to procrastinate with the introduction of the franchise system, potential investors, such as Brian Roper, of Sandals fame, who publicly indicated an interest in supporting such a development, will not lose interest and begin to look elsewhere with whatever investment they were considering making in the proposed new league.

Personally, I believe the time has come for the rural parish associations to begin demanding their share of the national football pie from the leadership of the JFF, especially Burrell. In the last JFF elections, while KSAFA was somewhat reluctant to put their support behind Burrell, it was the rural parishes who ensured that he remained unchallenged at the helm.

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