Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey
LIKE MANY others around the league, Tivoli Gardens' coach, Glendon Bailey, believes the decision to play the Wray and Nephew Knockout Cup at this time of season is a bad one.
However, that did not stop his team from edging Village United 1-0 to advance to the competition's semi-finals, 5-1 on aggregate, on Wednesday evening at the Edward Seaga Stadium.
"I don't think that it can survive where they put it," Bailey said of the competition. "At this time of year the major competition is over and people just want to rest and spend some time with their families," he said.
"It's too much football, so you will find that the impetus and the zest is not there for the competition, I think it would be better placed as a pre-season cup."
GAME LACKED INTENSITY
In a game which, for the most part, lacked intensity, Nicholas McCreath found the back of the net early for Tivoli and put the issue entirely beyond reach of Village with his 14th minute strike.
Tivoli, while not going at full pace, also had quite a few opportunities to extend their lead. Jermaine Taylor missed a sitter in the 49th minute. Alone in front of goal and about eight yards away, he punted high over the bar - wasting the effort of Fabian Davis, who did excellent work to break away down the right flank. However an even more blatant miss came from defender Christopher Jackson in the 70th minute.
A routine tap-in effort two yards from the goal line and almost dead centre somehow ended up stuck under the right foot of the left back, who was charging in full speed ahead.
Despite the apparent fatigue and general lack of sharpness, Bailey warned against Tivoli being taken lightly.
"Once we get there we'll always try to win and always want to win. At least we jumped this hurdle and we'll be revitalised," he said.
"We were a team striving for the semi-finals. Once we are in it, I believe that we will be a far different team than the one you saw out here today," he said.
Tivoli will face the winner of the Harbour View/Arnett Gardens match played last night at the Harbour View Stadium.
JFF first vice president resigns
THE FIRST vice president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), George Evans, has resigned his post due to family reasons.
The resignation took effect Wednesday, a release from the federation stated yesterday.
JFF president Crenston Boxhill said the organisation would "miss his invaluable contribution to the development of the sport in Jamaica over the years".
As per the Articles of Association and By Laws of the JFF, the board of directors at its next meeting will appoint a vice president until the next Congress is held where the position will be ratified.
