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Anderson promises changes to women’s football
March 12, 2024
Raymond Anderson, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) presidential candidate, is arguing that women's football in Jamaica is in a crisis and much more must be done to better manage the Reggae Girlz state of affairs and the local women's football programme.
Anderson, who promised to establish a more elaborate JFF women's football department if he is elected, contends that the current administration pays minimal attention to the women's game, which negatively impacts all areas of women's football.
He believes the stand-off with the senior Reggae Girlz, who have made themselves unavailable for selection since January, has been poorly handled, and that heads should roll for the breakdown in relations between the Girlz and the federation.
"Based on the angle of not going to the Gold Cup because of carelessness and mismanagement of the women's programme, somebody's head should roll.
"Dennis Chung (general secretary) should not be doing a lot of talking because he is the CEO. He does employment, although we have committees. He is the one who does employment," Anderson stated.
SETTLEMENT
He revealed that he has written numerous times to the federation asking for an amicable settlement with the Girlz and that failing to have a team in the just concluded inaugural Concacaf Women's Gold Cup was embarrassing.
"We had the Gold Cup, which was completed this weekend and we had no representative. It is shameful.
"We reached the last 16 (2023 Women's World Cup), and if there is an issue, whether salary or payment, it could be resolved.
"Some people believed they could just pick up a team and go and beat people who have been playing for a long time, but it was a misjudgement and that misjudgement should be called to the books," he said.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Women's Premier League (JWPL) has been rocked by a series of administrative incidents since the league started a few weeks ago, including teams missing the registration deadline, others have withdrawn, while some are facing disciplinary action for failing to field a team, and Anderson said all this stems from poor planning.
"If they were planning properly we would not have this mess. ISSA usually start (schoolgirl league) at X time.
"We know that we want to start the (women's) league with 12 teams, but based on registration, two failed to meet the deadline, so you start with 10 and now what we have is unacceptable," he said.
$650,000 PROMISE
He added that the $650,000 JFF promised the women's league clubs should have been given to the teams before the start of the season.
"You cannot tell me to start and then say you will give me later. For the league to be run properly, you need money upfront because they cannot trust (credit) the busman, the meal people, the players or the stores where they buy boots.
"The preparation that the $650,000 should assist teams with, is being given to them at the back end, and that is why the league is like this.
"With the RSA (Real Solid Action) team women's football will be prioritised. We will start a department, not just an administrator for women's football, from technical director right down to equipment manager, a department to deal strictly with women's football," he said.
