By Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport EditorPORTLAND FOOTBALL Association (PFA) president Burchell Gibson started work on Monday as acting general-secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).
"The management committee of the JFF has appointed him to act for six months," JFF press officer Earl Bailey told The Gleaner yesterday. "After six months they will assess the secretariat to see how he is doing."
The position has been vacant since Sunday, November 23 last year, when Horace Reid resigned after his long-time ally and working partner, Captain Horace Burrell, was voted out from the JFF's presidential post at its congress in Trelawny.
Gibson had earlier resigned his position as the JFF's director of competitions close to the elections under the Burrell regime in a move that was widely regarded as clearing the way for his return to the position he now holds.
The federation advertised the position and four applicants were interviewed last Wednesday. Besides Gibson, the other persons who submitted applications were Calvin Baker, who previously served as the JFF's general-secretary around the early '90s; Michael Hall, manager of Independence Park Complex and Financial Consultant Allan Lewis.
Crenston Boxhill, the president of the JFF, said none of the candidates were recommended by the interviewing panel to fill the important position.
"We had a professional panel that did the interviews last Wednesday. The panel did not recommend any of the people interviewed to be the general secretary," Boxhill said.
However, he said the management committee made the appointment on a needs basis with qualifying engagements for the World Cup and Olympic Games on the horizon.
"The JFF is an international company and this is a World Cup (qualifying) year. There are so many things to do that we need to have somebody up here who can fill the position now," he explained. "Of the four who were interviewed, only two were available for the acting post and of the two, the management committee chose Burchell."
The other available person was Baker.
The position of general-secretary is similar to that of a chief executive officer (CEO) in a regular business set-up.
"He is the man who runs the administrative office, he deals directly with all the different committees (JFF), he also deals directly with associations and FIFA regarding football matters," Bailey pointed out.
Boxhill expressed confidence in Gibson, who has worked with the JFF since 1997, mostly as director of competitions.
"I think Mr. Gibson is a bright young man. He has been in football for a long time at the club, parish and national levels. He has a chance of establishing himself now and I believe he will do a good job," said Boxhill.
Gibson, a former assistant manager of all the national teams, feels 'pleased' about the appointment but added: "I'm cognisant that there's a whole lot of work to be done. I would love to establish a better link between the parish associations, the confeds and the JFF administratively."
He listed the various international qualification series for national teams as a key tasks and says: "Administratively, both internationally and locally, we've to try to position ourselves in such a way that all the parties involved can play a vital role."
