Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter
A HIGH-level team of football officials arrived in the island yesterday to present to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA) organisational models which reflect modern approaches to the structuring football leagues.
The team was met on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport and was hosted in the VIP Lounge by representatives of the PLCA and the JFF.
The aim of the three-member delegation is assisting the PLCA and the JFF in working together to improve the next National Premier League (NPL) season, slated to begin in August.
The visiting team comprises the chairman of the Ipswich Town Football Club, David Sheepshanks, executive director of the Football Association in England, David Davies, and Michael Blood, a corporate lawyer with specialised know-ledge in sport and media relations.
With their combined experience and expertise, they have provided advice to countries around the world on the development of football leagues.
Important to listen
Sheepshanks, in expressing his team's willingness to provide expertise, said in any project that they worked on, it was important to listen to the local people, the leagues and the football governing bodies and understand their wishes before a model was prepared.
"The local model has to be right for the local conditions. So we will be very careful to hear the views of those involved before we put forward any ideas," Sheepshanks said. "This process takes a lot of careful work and discussion to make sure we end up with a solution that works for everybody," he said.
Carvel Stewart, vice-chairman of the PLCA, stated that the delegation would meet officials of the JFF and the PLCA today to outline and review their presentations.
"For many years we have been trying to lift the standards of the NPL, but it has been done purely on initiative. We hope that this visit will take us to a higher level and will bring a major lift to what we are trying to do for football in Jamaica," Stewart said.
