JFF warns KSAFA after promotion boycott
GENERAL SECRETARY of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Dalton Wint says that the board of directors of the federation will be meeting in the coming weeks to decide on how to deal with the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) following its decision to boycott the JFF’s updated method of promotion for the Red Stripe Premier League.
KSAFA’s clubs unanimously decided not to take part in the new format following a lengthy meeting late on Wednesday.
The new structure groups teams from the Corporate area with clubs from St Catherine and St Thomas in a play-off for a spot for a chance to compete in the nation’s top flight. As a confederation, KSAFA previously promoted the top team from its Super League competition to the play-off series but will now have to face competition from teams in the other two parishes.
Wint believes that KSAFA, which is mandated by the JFF to govern football in the
Corporate
Area, could be sanctioned for not respecting the directives association.
“We are to have a board meeting in two weeks’ time and high on the agenda of that meeting is the repercussions for them (KSAFA teams) not of its parent participating in competition,” Wint told Gleaner yesterday.
The competition, which is slated to begin on December 8, is structured to have four teams each from KSAFA, St Catherine, and St Thomas play in a round-robin format to determine who progress to the JFF Play-off Series. However, with the withdrawal of the KSAFA teams, some restructuring is now required.
“The competition committee will meet to discuss what will be the new format now, but I believe what will happen is that this group will play with eight teams this year,” Wint explained.
2014 CHANGE
the The
In 2014, there was an agreement between the JFF and the four confederations to change the method by which teams were promoted to the nation’s premier football competition.
As it stands now, winners of each of the four confederations qualify for the JFF Play-Off series. However, the new method would zone parishes into four groups and the winners would earn a spot in the play-off series, from where the top two teams would then be promoted to the RSPL.
However, the Wayne Shawled KSAFA administration has strongly opposed this new method arguing that it is a strategic move to reduce their dominance in local football.
Without revealing too much, Shaw, noted that one of the reasons for the withdrawal was because the clubs believe that it would be too expensive to travel to St Thomas and St Catherine to play matches.
He promised to explain the association’s full position in a press release soon. VETERAN GOALSCORER Devon Hodges is intent on having a big season with his team, Mount Pleasant FA.
He put such intent into action on the opening day of the season with his team’s first-ever goal in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) and has followed up with subsequent stellar performances.
With four goals so far, Hodges is his team’s leading scorer and is joint fifth on the league’s goalscoring chart.
“I have told myself that this season, I want to be back on the scoresheets with regularity. My aim is to be the leading goalscorer this season. For me right now, it’s all about working hard and following instructions in training and coming out each weekend and putting in good performances. That is my focus for this season,” Hodges stated as he threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the strikers in the league. At 34 years old, the forward surprised many with the level and effort he put into his performance, especially since he was out of the RSPL for a year.
He said it is all about using his experience, intelligence, and knowledge of the game to his benefit.
“I was never the quickest player and not as quick as I used to be, but I have young players around me who like to move, so it’s all about using my experience, playing smartly, thinking out the game and knowing when to make the right moves. Playing as a point striker, you know you have to follow the ball and be in the right place at the right time and make the best of opportunities then,” said the veteran.