Four for honours at Bell-Ziadie Memorial
FOUR FOOTBALL personalities will be honourees at the 30th staging of the BellZiadie Memorial matches on Heroes Day (Monday, October 17) at Winchester Park, St George’s College.
Among this year’s honourees are former FIFA referee Peter Prendergast, former schoolboy and national star, Kenneth ‘Bop’ Campbell, and posthumously former national goalkeeper Orville Edwards and former St George’s College and national player, Leighton Hue.
“This year, we will honour four persons who contributed to the development of football in Jamaica,” chief organiser Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell disclosed during the launch of the Masters and Celebrities-promoted event at Cuddy’z Restaurant and Grill in New Kingston on Tuesday.
Campbell also said it is time for Jamaica to get “back to basics” in the development of football in Jamaica.
“We are all saddened that we failed in our bid to advance to World Cup 2018. We all can say we could have, we should have, but that is now history,” Campbell said.
“We need to get back to basics, nurturing our youngsters and putting in place structured programmes as a start. We can do better,” said the former Jamaica Football Federation league director, during the time when Rene Simoes came to Jamaica.
MESSAGE TO COACHES
He added: “I appeal to the coaches of the various football clubs to ensure that they nurture the young talent that is in their care by guiding them, talk to them about the basic principles of football. The coaches need to explain to them why being disciplined is important, explain to them why education is important as one must be intelligent to play football. Explain to them why team work is important. Once they get that, I think we should be well on our way.”
He further said: “Coaches should do it for the love of the game, do it for Jamaica, do it because of the passion you feel. Do it for the talented young men who are hungry for any opportunity and not for the fame and fortune that may just come your way.”
Former FIFA referee, Prendergast, called for the development of proper surfaces in order for the improvement of the game in Jamaica.
“We must have proper playing fields to move forward. We cannot continue to play on those surfaces that is affecting the game,” Prendergast said.
The Bell-Ziadie matches are scheduled to start at 2 p.m., with three teams participating. The teams include St George’s College Invitational, Chris Martin Invitational and Masters and Celebrities.
Among the names are former World Cup players Walter Boyd, Ricardo Gardner, Ian Goodison, as well as Shavar Thomas, Usain Bolt, Jermaine Gonzales, Nicholas Ziadie and others.
Winthorpe ‘Jackie’ Bell and Dennis Ziadie died in an accident during the 1986 FIFA World Cup Finals in Mexico City, Mexico.
Since then, ‘Busy’ Campbell has organised the game to honour both men, who contributed significantly to local football.