JFF bigwigs back Burrell

Left to right: Burrell and de Oliveira

THE Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) executive Committee last night came out in full support of its president, Captain Horace Burrell for the sacking of football technical director, Clovis de Oliveira.

The Brazilian technical director was relived of his duties in Honduras Thursday morning just hours after the team was beaten by that country in a World Cup qualifier. With that loss the country's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup back to back, ended.

Twenty-two of the 29 executives were present and they all backed Burrell.

Chief among the Burrell backers were Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) president, Richard "Roots" Nathan and JFF third deputy president David Watt.

"It is very simple. If you are given a job and that job is not being done in accordance to what has been given to you as a job description, then as you know you are seen to have failed and based on how the football runs a coach's job is never easy," said Nathan.

"He was employed to carry this team and anyone who took over this team which qualified for the last World Cup would have had a difficult task. I do not believe anyone would have been feeling pleased with the team's performance and the fact that we have been eliminated we have to move forward. With this in mind I think that the sacking of the coach is good."

Watt who left the meeting a little early to catch a flight to Montego Bay said he was in total agreement with the decision. "I think that the decision was a good one and as someone who is close to the situation I think that the discipline of the team has been steadily falling," said the man who often serves as head of delegation on overseas trips.

The only problem Watt had with the move to axe the Brazilian is that it was not done earlier. "I believe it should have happened from the whole incident in St Kitts."

Nathan on the other hand said the decision was timely and handled properly. "To be honest with you I think it was done well. Knowing our people, Clovis could have come back into the island and settled down and the sympathetic heart would start to chip in and then people would forget what it is all about and he would just continue to work. I think it was well done."

Sacking the coach, Nathan also pointed out, was only a part of the solution.

"When you look down the line there are other things to do not only the sacking of the coach but I agree with it fully. I will give my 100 per cent support to the captain for what he has done.

"Still other things are to be done. "Put it this way, Clovis alone is not the problem so we will have to look at other things and as you know the programme has been derailed for a while but it is not finished."

The matter of a replacement coach, Nathan said, was brought up with people giving their opinions. "People have voiced their opinions and the popular view is that we should look to Europe now."

A release issued by the Federation said that it will continue the process of evaluation of the other members of the technical staff and will be making steps to replace de Oliveira "at the shortest possible interval".

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