How They Shape Up for the JFF Presidency

After a year of disastrous performances by the Reggae Boyz, many soccer fans are questioning the ability of the current Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Crenston Boxhill to lead the national football program into the future. Along with the slow development of the Football Academy and elimination from the Digicel Cup, the current administration has come under fire as the national football program continues to slide. Boxhill is hoping that the recent hiring of Bora Milutinovic will prove to be the lifeline needed to bring back the confidence of the fans. With the JFF presidential election set for November 2007, the administration of Mr. Crenston Boxhill must take note of the possible successor to the presidency.

CAPTAIN HORACE BURRELL, senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), has made it clear that he intends to run for the presidency of the Jamaica Football Federation. Burrell, who was defeated by a margin of 54-49 by current president Crenston Boxhill on November 23, 2003, recently accepted an invitation to serve as a vice-president of the Clarendon Football Association (CFA), which many see as another indication of his intentions to run. Burrell previously served as president of the Jamaica Football Federation from 1994 to 2003 and was largely credited for guiding the Reggae Boyz's historic qualification to the 1998 World Cup Finals in France. During his reign, two other national youth teams qualified for World Cup Finals - the Under-17 in 1999 in New Zealand and the Under-20s two years later in Argentina.

CHRIS DEHRING, The managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for the JFF presidency. Dehring was appointed as managing director of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 by the WICB in 1999 and is credited as one of the principal architect of the Caribbean's quest to host the ICC Cricket World Cup. He was also a representative for the WICB in the commercial rights negotiations of US$550 million for ICC tournaments, including the ICC CWC in 2007, becoming the largest rights deal in cricket's history. Voice your choice in the forum