Real Mona coach Laylor blasts KSAFA

Real Mona Football club will not accept the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) invitation to compete in this season’s National Tier

II competition, according to the president

Peter

Moses.

The KSAFA

Super League champions had until yesterday to make their intentions known to the federation but chose to abide by the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) resolution.

Coach David Laylor, however, believes they are missing out on a great opportunity to make progress and argues that KSAFA is to blame while calling on the association to accept change.

“I do not know where they are going. I do not see KSAFA leagues going in any positive direction. I do not have the confidence in KSAFA anymore,” Laylor commented.

“I think the time has left them and they do not realise what is happening. Progress is inevitable. Changes are inevitable. You must embrace changes.

“If you cannot see the time and season for change then you are not ready for leadership. If the KSAFA leadership cannot see the need for change and come to some agreement to make the changes work then they are not ready to lead KSAFA.

“If you are going to develop football in Jamaica there is a need for real change and KSAFA, I don’t know where they are going,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Moses said although they are sticking by the association, he revealed that the impasse between the JFF and KSAFA has been disappointing and hopes for a speedy resolution.

“We are in line with the resolution, the football association that we are a part of has established. I regret that we are not in a position to participate as our club is a member of the association.

“The clubs passed a resolution a year ago that we were not going to participate in Tier II and nothing has changed. I have to be true to the association that we are a part of,” Moses said.

“Even so, we would not be able to participate in Tier II as it is structured because of the cost associated with participating in that format.

“It would be really difficult to finance what would be needed to participate – transportation, housing, food, salary and coach’s salary. We are an amateur club and it is very hard to get sponsorship for football nowadays, and our attempts to get financial assistance through the JFF have not borne any fruits,” he pointed out.

He revealed that he met with Laylor on Tuesday and both held similar sentiments.

“We are both disappointed in the circumstances. It is a sad state of affairs that the governing football body and the biggest parish association cannot find some common ground,” he stated.

He said the resolution must be reviewed at the next annual general meeting of KSAFA.

“Maybe they (JFF and KSAFA) need an arbitrator to help sort this thing out. I am hoping that we can resolve this thing in pretty short order,” he said.

As a result of Real Mona’s decision, Meadforest will be elevated to the automatic spot, while Boys’ Town will go into the playoffs.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm. com