By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - SportIF CAPTAIN Horace Burrell was sweating about his position as president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) during the coming challenge to his post, that sweat must have turned ice-cold when the challengers set forth their agenda at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel last night before Sunday's vote.
On an evening when the challengers, led by potential new president Crenston Boxhill, could have impaled themselves on their own swords through an amateurish display against Burrell's tight machine, they shone with a professional presentation and, according to insiders, they have the edge going into Sunday's vote at the Starfish resort in Trelawny.
In a systematic breakdown of the current regime, Boxhill's team praised Burrell for his enormous achievements in advancing the game in his nine-year tenure but basically stated it had gone far enough and outlived its usefulness.
Describing the current JFF administration as a "comatose elephant", Boxhill said: "For the first time in nine years this administration has been challenged. I cannot recall in my almost 30 years in football so much effort and human resources being mobilised to whip up a team with a realistic chance of being successful."
POTENTIAL NOMINEES
On a podium with potential nominees George Evans (going for first vice president), Linnel McLean (second vice president), Patrick Roberts (third VP) and Carlton Barclay (potential treasurer), Boxhill added the lateness of the charter was: "... an effective, strategic move and we felt the timing this evening would guarantee that".
Lack of profitability and junior development were two of the platforms Burrell's challengers set their sights on to undermine the former army officer who has been accused of regimental management and lack of transparency.
However, although claiming to have "prominent businessmen" willing to take part on a new JFF "financial committee", no names were offered in the same spirit of "openness and transparency".
Challenged about the fact that the ruling People's National Party (PNP) was supporting the challengers - despite a recent outright denial from Minister Portia Simpson Miller, they also said politics were not involved in the coming ballot.
"The first I heard of that was a couple of weeks ago," Boxhill said.
"There's no politics involved," he said.
Insiders say Boxhill's slate has near 60 per cent of the delegates votes going into Sunday and that an apparent 'peace offering' from the Burrell camp was shot down.
Questions still remain about Boxhill's ability to lead the high-profile position but last night he, and his staff, looked self-assured and ready for the challenges ahead should they be elected.
