Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
BOXHILL
CRENSTON BOXHILL, president of the much-criticised Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), is very confident that he will boot away a 'no confidence' vote against his administration if the issue is raised at tomorrow's Congress at the Jamaica Crest Hotel in Fairy Hill, Portland.
"I am very confident of surviving this 'no confidence' motion and will see out the rest of my four-year term," Boxhill told The Gleaner in an interview yesterday. "I am just as disappointed as everyone of the failure of the Reggae Boyz to advance to the next round of the World Cup, but I will be here for the remainder of the four-year term."
The JFF head and his executive are under fire after the men's national senior team failed to advance to the final round in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.
The Under-20s and the Under-17s youth teams also failed to qualify for world championship tournaments, as well as the women's senior and Under-19 teams.
The elimination of the senior squad adversely affected the federation in more ways than one as it was expected to generate a considerable amount of finance for the cash-strapped organisation, which had inherited a $30-odd million debt from the previous administration that was led by Captain Horace Burrell.
The Reggae Boyz were expected to generate as much as $600 million. But their elimination hurt the JFF to the point where its financial position weakened and the federation is contemplating the sale of its $48 million building in New Kingston.
The building was purchased by the JFF under the leadership of Captain Burrell after the Reggae Boyz qualified for the World Cup Finals in France in 1998.
For a no confidence motion to succeed, those against Boxhill and his team will have to garner two-thirds of the delegates' votes.
But Boxhill is confident that he, and not his opponents, will get the two-thirds vote.
"I will secure the two-thirds majority needed," he said.
There are 104 delegate votes and the Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), the largest voting confederation, has 13 votes.
DECLINED TO GIVE POSITION
Its president, Stewart Stephenson, president of KSAFA, declined to give a clear indication of their position.
He said: "No, I am not going to say that," when quizzed as to what their vote will be. "We held our delegates pre-conference meeting last night (Thursday) and the KSAFA delegation looked at all the issues that we expect will be raised at the conference and we have taken some positions which we will disclose at the appropriate time at the conference.
"I don't know what the other confederations will decide. This is supposed to be a normal general conference where finances, the general secretary's report and all that will be put forward. It is not a voting congress. I couldn't predict anything at this point. I have to play with my bat and pad close."
But sources close to the KSAFA delegates say they will not vote in favour of a no confidence motion, as it would set a bad precedent.
Courtney Brown, president of the St. Elizabeth FA, which has six votes, said his confederation is fully behind the Boxhill-led team.
"I am not even aware of a vote of no confidence, but St. Elizabeth is 100 per cent behind the present administration. So the no confidence vote is a no-no for us," he reiterated.
Michael Ricketts, chairman of the South Central Confederation and president of Clarendon FA, says he cannot envisage a no confidence vote against the JFF and would be disappointed if there were such a move.
"I am chairman of the South Confederation so I have to
support my president, no question about it. I don't envisage any group coming up with a two-thirds majority. We have qualified for the World Cup only once. There is going to be a time of plenty and a time of famine.
"I don't think the federation has done terribly bad for somebody to move a no confidence vote. I have spoken to people who we believe might be behind it and they have categorically denied it."
The St. Ann FA is waiting and watching with bated breath as the scenario unfolds.
"We are not on the fence but 'cockroach don't business in a cock fight'," said Danny Beckford, president of the St. Ann FA. "The no confidence people need to tell me what are their plans to persuade me to support them. Once you show me a way forward then I don't have a problem."
According to Beckford, he doesn't see why there is a big uproar now because because "when we qualified for the 1998 World Cup not one dollar came to the parishes."
The Manchester FA has a similar position to their St. Ann neighbours' of assessing the situation on the day.
"I wouldn't be prepared to say which way Manchester would vote," said President Dale Spencer. "We would assess the situation and we will ask some questions at the Congress and it may depend on the answers we receive."
Raymond Anderson, president of the St. Mary FA, said his federation is attending the congress with an open mind.
"We will attend the Congress and go with the flow. I hear that St. Mary is going there with a position. But we are going there with an open mind and assess it as it goes."
