Well Geoff, if yu notice, mi try back up my claim dem wid a newspaper article or supm. (Not always a valid source, but 90% of the time definitely better than the hear-say pon the forum )
Mi no go offa whe man and man pon di board say; caw it obvious say NUFF GUY have dem own agenda, and wi say and do anything fi accomplish it.
Mi haffi go by wha mi read inna the paper, and the paper QUOTED Andy as saying he wants to concentrate on his club ball.
I don't recall anything about unprofessional being mentioned (or was it??)
A so mi idren.
Mi gone go buy some saltfish and green banana yaw man.
Get ready fi mi breakfast a mawnin and the ball game.
Mr Crenston Boxhill and the executive of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) are to be commended for expelling Mr Marlon King from the Jamaica squad that will play England in a World Cup warm-up match at Old Trafford tomorrow.
Mr King, it has been reported, broke curfew with two other players - Messrs Jason Euell and Jamal Campbell-Ryce - and when they were confronted about this breach of discipline, instead of apologising, Mr King was rude to the team management. In fact, said Mr Boxhill, Mr King showed no remorse for his action.
Mr Boxhill and his executives will likely face harsh criticism for their decision. After all, Mr King emerged from this season's English Championship as the leading scorer with 22 goals, thus helping his club Watford gain promotion to the prestigious Premier League.
But for too long athletes, particularly those who are exceptionally gifted, have been allowed to get away with loutish behaviour, either on or off the field. Their actions have, by and large, been excused by sports administrators, sports journalists and fans who will tell you that 'that's how stars behave' or worse, 'that's how they are expected to behave'.
What is amazing is that these star-struck apologists are unable to recognise the fallacy of their argument. For what they are really saying is that by virtue of being talented one is entitled to be ill-mannered and show scant regard for authority.
Fortunately, we do not share this view. For like the JFF we believe firmly that "discipline is critical to building professionalism". But we go even further, as we have always held that sport is more than the thrill of competing and winning; it is also about building human character.
By taking this action against Mr King and by fining Messrs Euell and Campbell-Ryce half their fees for tomorrow's game, the JFF has scored a victory for discipline and has, hopefully, set the tone for how it operates in the future.
The action also represents a refreshing change from what obtained in the past when undisciplined players were basically regarded as untouchables because they were deemed to be too valuable to the team, and our supreme goal was to qualify for the World Cup Finals in France.
But while we did make our historic appearance in the finals and the country felt good and proud, we sent the wrong signal to our youngsters about the value of discipline.
In a way, the same can be said of what obtained in West Indies cricket in the recent past and which manifested itself in the unprofessionalism we saw in the team up to a few months ago.
Apparently, all that seems to be changing for the better. At least, we hope it is. ***************************************************************************************************************************************
[This message has been edited by Tripeous (edited 06-02-2006).]
I am hoping that this action will take precedence in all levels of Jamaican football. If this is the first, then I am hoping it won't be the last. If Boxhill is trying to send a message to everyone, I am hoping that the JFF will be fair and consistent in all future incidents and they practice what they preach.
Maybe, if they were not flip-flopping for years, this expulsion would not have taken us by surprise. We would have already known the outcome for this behaviour even before it happened. Previous unpunished transgression by players, was the main cause for alarm in this case. I guess there is a first for everything! Good luck to the team!
[This message has been edited by Big Mountain (edited 06-02-2006).]
_________________________
"Go tell it on the Mountain!"
Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 633
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Offline
If this was prep school I would congratulate the JFF for doing the right thing and showing the "children" who is the boss. But results are what count in an international football match that will be watched by the entire world.
)
