Just heard on TVJ that JFF appointed T. Whitmore, L. Hyde, D. Duckie and Paul Young as asst coaches. W. Downwell is still coach of the U-20. Congratulation to all of them . Well deserved.

Whitmore among Simoes assistants
published: Saturday | January 12, 2008

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter


Seba's coach, Theodore Whitmore. and Hyde Sr.

THEODORE WHITMORE, the successful interim coach for Jamaica's Reggae Boyz in its two most recent friendlies against Guatemala and El Salvador, heads a list of four assistant coaches named to serve an apprenticeship period under new technical director Rene Simoes for the next three months.

The others are Cash Plus Premier League coaches, Lenworth Hyde Sr. of Harbour View and St. Georges' Donovan Duckie, along for with former Portmore United's Paul Young.

The appointment falls within the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) new structure for the development of the national programme, which was unveiled following a meeting of the board of directors at the organization's headquarters yesterday.

In addition to the assistants, four more coaches have been appointed to deal specifically with the womens programme. Current women's national coach Charles Edwards tops that list and he will be joined by Xavier Gilbert, Oneil Thomas and Junior Francis.

Five national co-ordinators, which include Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, coach of schoolboy football team Glenmuir, Leebert Halliman coach of Excelsior and other former national coaches Wendell Downswell and Bradley Stewart and Vin Blaine, have been recruited with the responsibility for female development.

The national co-ordinators will chiefly be responsible for scouting talent, co-ordinating trials for different age groups and assessing coaching talent across the island.

In the meantime the JFF, who have now approved a budget which is expected to cost over 1.23 billion dollars over the next 30 months, continue to look for ways to offset the debt inherited from the previous administration. High on the agenda is the 135,000 pounds sterling still owing to the English Football Association for tickets sold for the England vs Jamaica game which took place at Old Trafford two years ago.

Captain Horace Burrell, the JFF president, stressed that the issue is one which continues to be a major source of concern.

"Right now we really are not sure where the money is going to come from," Burrell said.

"This a also a big issue based on the fact that is very important to not only have a good relationship with the English FA, but the rest of Europe as well."

The federation also has outstanding debts of $US12,300 in penalties levied by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) following the failure to send a team to the regional Under-15 competition.

Another issue which the organisation is yet to iron out stems from ownership of television rights for broadcasting of the World Cup qualifiers, that affects Sportsmax and Television Jamaica.

Everytime I want to give Burrel and the JFF a shout and say well done, dem haffi spoil it..

When since the JFF owe the English FA money?? How come this has just surfaced?? And the fines by the CFU was all instigated and enforced by the CFU official, Mr. Horace Burrell himself...

Cmon Burrell stop the rubbish. The JFF nuh have nuh money problem. All the monies they owe was your money in the first place..

Stop bawl poverty and just continue do the good work.. Cho.. The almshouse fi stop. Nuh bada duh something silly and mek Simoes start question why him come back.. Simoes is a man of phylosophy, principle and conscience.

Thank you Mr. Burrell for supporting the appointments of the understudies.. It nuh matter if wi nuh mek it to this world cup. Foundation for the other world cups to come are being laid. Where there is hope, life can gwaan exist still.

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in cash crisis
published: Wednesday | November 7, 2007

Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor



PRELIMINARY estimates of the newly-installed Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) board calculate its debts at a staggering $77.5 million, president Captain Horace Burrell revealed at a press conference yesterday.

The disclosure was made at a press conference at JFF head-quarters in New Kingston following a near six-hour board meeting at which Burrell also announced a unanimous decision had been reached regarding technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic.

He also announced the suspension of the women's national training programmes for the Under-19 and senior teams which begin competition this month; the lifting of a two-year ban on English-based Reggae Boy Marlon King with immediate effect; the resumption of the Cash Plus Premier League on Sunday and also confirmed a friendly international against Guatemala at 'The Office' on Sunday, November 21.

Preliminary report

News of the JFF debt and Bora's status dominated the question-and-answer segment.

"It's a preliminary report ... we're going to do some more investi-gations," said the federation's new treasurer, Gary Sinclair.

Sinclair said payables stood at $83.4 million, which included a long-outstanding loan to Burrell ($15 million) and $7 million in bank overdrafts, against receivables of $27.7 million.

The treasurer, a new man to football, admitted that payables included salary amounts totalling $23.9 million now owing to Milutinovic, $22.5 million to the English FA for tickets sold for a match in England last November that were not paid over, statutory deductions totalling $16.4 million ($9 million for PAYE), and $13.2 million which includes debts to parish associations, premier league clubs ($5 million) and other sundries.

Financial dilemma

Of the monies owing to Milutinovic for this year's salary, the federation says it got assurances from the Government that it would pay up the $250,000 commitment, but saw no record in any JFF account of the remaining $88,000 that had been received from its partners, but not paid to the technical director, whose salary is due on November 15.

Leighton McKnight, chairman of the financial committee, said they are in a "financial dilemma" and "... will have to find ways to come out of a very deep hole."

Burrell said: "I'm so baffled at this time. It's incredible that this can be so having heard these revelations of profitability all this time on the radio, television and in the newspapers. The situation that the JFF is in now is simply frightening".

However, Rudolph Speid, who had been the JFF treasurer from February 2005 until Sunday when Burrell's team took over, defended the financials, which were published in The Sunday Gleaner.

He said: "When I came, the JFF was $43 million in the red.

Sinclair said payables stood at $83.4 million, which included a long-outstanding loan to Burrell ($15 million) and $7 million in bank overdrafts, against receivables of $27.7 million.

However, Rudolph Speid, who had been the JFF treasurer from February 2005 until Sunday when Burrell's team took over, defended the financials, which were published in The Sunday Gleaner.

He said: "When I came, the JFF was $43 million in the red.

One thing is mentioned in the past our coaches need progress as well as the players. We now have players playing in the top division abroad, so our coaches need to be making money also.

Carl Brown has made the step in taking over Cayman with vast international experience, he should be able to get any TD job in the caribbean or Asia.


Our coaches like Downswell(GC Foster Grad), Paul Young(Syracuse University Grad) and Hyde should be able to apply for assistant coaching job in the Coca-cola English league, MLS and other mid-tier leagues. But this is a start of the resume building process. Look at the jobs that Simoes has had since 1998 and look where WD, CB and some of the local coaches. They need to push and challenge themselves.