WATT FIFTY-YEAR-OLD David Watt is entering into his third decade as a football administrator.
In his time in football, the man from St. James has served as vice-president of the St. James Football Association, Third Vice-president of the Jamaica Football Federation, Chairman of the Western Confederation and Head of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Disciplinary Committee.
After those heights Watt, whose stint as JFF Disciplinary Committee head ended with the JFF change of administration just under a year ago, is back as general secretary of the St. James FA.
The Gleaner took time out with Watt One-on-One to recount some of his experiences and to get a glimpse into his football future.
QUESTION: How long have you been seriously involved in football administration?
DAVID WATT: Over 20 years.
Q: How did you get involved in football, were you a player?
DW: In terms of an administrator I was involved from the time of Wesmore Thomas and Sonny Vassell, but even before that I was involved as an administrator at the Montego Bay Cricket Club under the presidency of RO Smart. I never really played football at a high level. While going to Cornwall College I concentrated more on the academic side of things. Once I left school though I played for this club called Champions, which was a club in the community of Orange where I am from. This was in the 70s.
From there my involvement in the sport deepened until I got on the St. James Board in the early 80s and worked my way up to the position of chairman of the Western Confederation in 1996 and Third Deputy President of the Jamaica Football Federation in 1998. I also served on the JFF Disciplinary Committee and was also Chairman.
Q: You seem to have slowed down though?
DW: I did not really slow down at all. After the change of administration in November 2003 I served on the disciplinary committee of the St. James FA.
Q: Your involvement seemed to have spanned the rise and fall of western football and in particular that of St. James?
DW: I was there right throughout the heyday of Seba United, Wadadah and Violet Kickers.
Q: What do you think accounted for the decline?
DW: Basically, I do not think there are proper management structures in place. Gone are the days when one man could support a club financially. The financial power has waned in the West. Now it takes skilful innovation to keep a club running. Budget is very high and clubs need to put structures in place and recognise that it is no longer a one-man show.
Another thing that is different from say Kingston is that these clubs have not gotten the involvement of the hierarchy. This is very important for infrastructure. I really have to lament the fact that Seba and Wadadah never had a real home base. Seba are trying now but are still not there.
Q: Do you see a re-emergence any time soon?
DW: There can be if the things are put into place. These clubs cannot maintain these players as before. Talent is moving away from the region to other places for financial reasons, even as we still see the emergence of young players from institutions such as Cornwall College, but clubs need finances to hold them. The truth of the matter though is that it really takes cash to care.
The situation is no longer one where players are loyal to communities or clubs. If you are from the North Gully or Paradise region it would almost be automatic that your club would have been Seba, while if you were from Mount Salem and its environs you would have been solidly behind Wadadah.
Q: What's next for you?
DW: I must say that I was not originally on the slate for the position of general
secretary. I was actually campaigning for Lennox Wallace in his quest to become president of the St. James FA and at the last minute he asked me to contest the position as he felt that with my experience I could make a contribution. Mr. Wallace is young and vibrant and I think he will make a good president. With that in mind I decided to contest the position.
Q: It is interesting that of all the positions that you have held you have never gone for the post of president of the St. James FA. Why?
DW: As you know I work with the National Water Commission and have been doing so for years. In a job such as mine the situation was and is one where I could be transferred at any time and in fact over the years I have worked in five parishes - as far as Manchester.
I really did not want to bring any instability to the position of presidency as taking on such a position would mean that I would have to be domiciled in the parish. For the other position I could have performed without being there permanently so that is the situation really.
Q: Of all that you have experienced in football, what would you say has been your greatest moment?
DW: This would be managing Jamaica's team to their historic participation in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Q: And your lowest point?
DW: I must tell you that that would be recently when I wanted to serve the Confed and the stigma of being a (Captain Horace) Burrell man was attached to me. My interest was really to serve and to assist with the process of re-energising western football only to be told that they could not work with me.
-Nodley Wright
