Tanya Lee | Dear Santa, the sports edition

I’m not sure where all the time went, but we’re less than a week away from Christmas Day already.

I often get queries from women this time of year asking what’s an appropriate gift for the sports buff in their lives.

I often remind them that men are simple creatures. This season’s jersey and scarf from his favourite team will do the trick. Extra points if you get him a vintage kit. Think Liverpool’s Johnny Barnes jersey from one of the three seasons he won the title. Also high on the male list is a bigger television, tickets to see his team play, or maybe a fragrance from one of his ballers, say, CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo) or David Beckham. If he’s not a Ronaldo fan, though, trod carefully or a rocky Christmas Day awaits.

One year, my dad was over the moon when I got him a smartphone that was pre-loaded with a Christmas greeting from Dwayne Bravo. He’s a lover of West Indies cricket. I scored big.

Cricket needs Santa

Speaking of cricket, Cricket West Indies could do well with a visit from Santa this year. On their wish list would be a better bowling attack, of course, and a few fresh ideas on how to create a sustainable structure that unearths new talent so that the region doesn’t go through another period similar to the inconsistencies of the last 25 years.

Over in football, Santa needs to pay a visit to the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), who seem to have a serious paucity of leadership.

I imagine the JFF’s wish list is never-ending. A visionary within the federation, good youth coaches, and a football philosophy from the primary level to the national programme is critical. We also need a proper system for the scouting and selling of talent from across Jamaica so that we get more Raheem Sterlings and Leon Baileys on to the world stage.

The wish list for our women reads like a scroll. Santa should have a seat. The gender divide is currently uncomfortably wide with the nation collectively embarrassed by the way our Reggae Girlz and their coach have been treated by the JFF administration this year. Santa could place the payment for the Reggae Girlz and Hue Menzies under the tree. It’s a shame, they still haven’t been compensated for their exploits at the FIFA Women’s World Cup six months ago.

In the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL), Santa’s sleigh should pull up at Molynes United who have fallen fast, from six wins in six matches to start the season, all the way to 10th on the table and winless in 12 encounters. The RSPL could also do with a proverbial shot in the arm as all the teams are in need of viable means of financing.

Over in the globe’s most popular league, Santa should gift Arsenal a backline and a coach. Based on the rumour mill, Santa has Mikel Arteta in his sleigh. Not exactly tried or proven, having never been in the top seat before. Hopefully for Arsenal, he has had enough experience under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage to make a fine manager at the Emirates Stadium. But of course, whether that gift arrives is still left to be seen. One love.

Tanya Lee has over 10 years’ expertise as a Caribbean sports marketer and is also an athlete manager and publicist.