Former national coach lambasts JFF as it scrambles to secure Blaine’s replacement
EVEN as the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) scrambles to fill the vacant senior Reggae Girlz head coach position, former national tactician Davion Ferguson has lambasted the Michael Ricketts-led administration.
“I believe the current situation is because we have poor administrators leading the country’s football,” Ferguson, who in the past worked with both national men’s and women’s programmes, told the Jamaica Observer.
“So while looking for a new coach, I think it’s only fair to also seek out leaders and football administrators that are competent. That’s what we need to do, because this JFF administration is a big joke,” the Jamaica College head coach added, though steering clear of delving into specifics.
Ferguson’s comments come in the wake of Vinimore “Vin” Blaine’s resignation as the Girlz’s head coach, a mere six weeks ahead of the Concacaf Women’s Championship in July.
Leading to Blaine’s exit, 20 members of the Reggae Girlz team signed a two-page letter which stunningly called for his removal, claiming weaknesses in communication and unprofessional leadership.
The JFF had publicly backed the head coach and his staff, pointing to insufficient evidence to support the concerns expressed by players in their letter. Blaine, who had refuted the Girlz’s accusations, officially walked away from the job on Tuesday. His move was widely expected, given the gaping wound left by the Girlz’s vote of no confidence.
Among the front-runners to replace Blaine, who had guided the Girlz through the first phase of qualifiers during which time they won all four games, is United States-based Coach Lorne Donaldson.
Along with former Head Coach Hue Menzies and fellow Assistant Coach Andrew Price, Donaldson led the Girlz to a historic Fifa Women’s 2019 World Cup appearance in France.
Ferguson and Reggae Girlz Under-17 Head Coach Dane Chambers, who both believe Jamaica has competent tacticians who can fill the vacancy, cautioned that the decision should be handled in the country’s best interest.
They agreed the replacement should have prior knowledge of the programme, especially with the Women’s Championship set for July 4-18 in Mexico.
“I believe we have coaches locally who can do the job, but these [Donaldson and Menzies] have done wonders with the female programme before, so I see no issue with them taking over again,” Ferguson said.
“I don’t consider Lorne Donaldson an overseas coach because, despite the fact that he lives in the US and works in the US, he is Jamaican,” Ferguson added.
With Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz drawn in Group A alongside World champions United States, hosts Mexico, and Caribbean neighbours Haiti for the July 4-18 tournament in Monterrey, Chambers said the task at hand will be a tough one for whoever is appointed.
“I believe we have competent coaches here in Jamaica, but it’s all about giving persons an opportunity to show what they can do and from there you never know,” said Chambers.
“But, at this stage of the competition, I think it’s going to be difficult for any coach that takes over, but any decision that is to be made must be in the best interest of the country and the team,” he argued.
The tactician, who admirably guided the Under-17 Girlz to the quarter-final stage of their recently concluded qualifiers, believes that, along with familiarity, the most suitable candidate should be able to drive the programme forward.
“As a coach, whether local or overseas, you need the players to buy into your objective, your style of coaching, and the way you operate on a daily basis,” Chambers told the Observer.
“I believe we have a great chance. The group is tough, but again, you want somebody around the team who the Girlz respect,” he added.
In the letter, which came to the fore just over two weeks ago, the players cited, among other things, a lack of confidence in the technical acumen and leadership style of Blaine and his assistants, which the players said ran counter to what is required to take them to the World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand next year.
But the JFF board had ruled in favour of Blaine, based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee.
Blaine, in dismissing the Girlz’s criticisms, had said he believed the players were spurred by outside forces.