Andre Lowe | Jamaica Gleaner
The Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) plan to restructure the National Premier League with the implementation of a franchise system by the 2015-2016 season is being bitterly opposed by the island’s top confederation, the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA).
Additionally, with the members of the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA), which consists of seven KSAFA affiliates – set to convene for a meeting by Wednesday, the JFF could find itself with even more resistance to its plan, which was discussed and agreed on at a recent strategic meeting by its board of directors on May 3 and 4.
The Captain Horace Burrell-led JFF board noted that, among other things, the National Premier League will adopt a 10-team franchise model for the 2015-2016 season and beyond. The franchised league would be complemented by a second-tier national competition, which will include parish champions.
It’s a move that the JFF is convinced will significantly advance the quality and value of local football, while helping to improve the national team’s ranking by the next FIFA World Cup in 2018.
The League’s shortcomings
However, it is believed that KSAFA will move against the plans, contending that the National Premier League’s shortcomings are down to poor administration, the JFF’s near non-existent marketing plan and its poor enforcing of certain host-venue pre-requisites, which has resulted in facilities such as Wes Pow Park, the University of the West Indies Bowl, Bramwell Clarke Sports Complex in Ewarton and the Edward Seaga Sports Complex staging games.
A number of high-profile KSAFA representatives, including president Rudolph Speid, Ricky Chin, Andrew Price, Carl Brown, Carvel Stewart, Clyde Jureidini, Peter Moses and Ambassador Stewart Stephenson, representing the confederation’s affiliates, had a four-hour meeting of their own on Friday, where it was reportedly established that they would not support the JFF’s franchise plans.
It’s a stance that could see KSAFA’s representatives in next season’s Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) boycotting the competition and threatening to bring a halt to local top-tier football.
KSAFA currently has seven teams in top-flight football – including August Town – who will be officially relegated at the end of the campaign.
The JFF’s 10-franchise plan will significantly reduce that number to three, with St Catherine and Clarendon receiving one franchise each and each of the remaining five franchises being shared with two parishes.
According to information reaching The Sunday Gleaner, KSAFA’s representatives in the franchise league would be Harbour View, Waterhouse and Arnett Gardens.
“What of Boys’ Town, which is 75 years old as a club; what about Cavalier – 52 years old and a staple in Jamaican football? What about Tivoli Gardens?” asked a KSAFA representative, who requested not to be named. “Are you telling these clubs that they won’t be able to recoup their investments over the years and that they should just do away with their teams?
not properly thought out
“This has certainly not been properly thought out and we won’t support this,” the source added.
It is understood that the KSAFA affiliates would have supported a 16-team franchise, which was being touted at one stage of the JFF board discussions.
Also, under the new structure, KSAFA’s voting rights will be chopped from 13 out of 104 votes, to one out of 13. Additionally, KSAFA presently has 35 members on the JFF board, but the suggested system would see the confederation only holding one of the 17 spots.
When contacted, Speid did not comment in detail, noting that his administration will advance the position of its constituents through the appropriate channels.
“I cannot comment on any of that at this stage, suffice to say that where the proposals are concerned the position of the KSAFA affiliates will be communicated to the Jamaica Football Federation,” said Speid.