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BOXHILL: "Keen to help former national footballers."
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
FORMER NATIONAL football players may be able to access the National Stadium free to watch international games as part of the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) gesture to repay those players for representing their country.
This was revealed by Crenston Boxhill, the JFF president, in an attempt to pacify the strained relationship between past players and his association.
"It is something that we are looking into," Boxhill told The Sunday Gleaner recently. "I really believe we can assist in making it easier for them to watch the national team play, especially those that have served for a long time," added Boxhill.
He further stated that an ideal solution had not yet been reached because a significant amount of players had represented Jamaica over the years and it would be difficult to implement a suitable policy.
He added that while some players played one game, others played 50 or 100.
SOLUTIONS
"So we have to really sit down as a federation and find solutions. It is something that we are aware of and we're working on."
Some former players have complained constantly about having to pay to watch the national team play internationals inside the National Stadium after years of proudly representing their country.
When contacted for feedback, Kenneth 'Bob' Campbell, a former player who now coaches Wray and Nephew National Premier League team Waterhouse, said it was full time this problem be addressed.
"I see a whole heap of abuse and foolishness a gwaan, so I just pay and go in. I see it happen all the while," said Campbell, who represented Jamaica 92 times between 1966 and the mid-'80s.
"Certain past players should get international pass to go in the stadium," he said.
According to Campbell, Boxhill "is a person who will deal with these kinds of issues. A nuff time people say it to Burrell dem and dem don't pay it no attention".
