Howard Walker, Staff Reporter

"Too much joke business, too much little foolishness in this football," is how coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey viewed the last-minute cancellation of his game against Boys' Town yesterday.

The malaria outbreak currently affecting sections of Kingston forced the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to postpone two Wray and Nephew National Premier League games.

The Trench Town derby between Arnett Gardens and Boys' Town and the Tivoli Gardens/Naggo Head encounters were cancelled.

But Bailey, coach of Arnett Gardens, was livid, calling the last-minute cancellation of his game "a joke".

Said Bailey: "The JFF wait until today after three (3:00 p.m.), then them call us a cancel the game. Too much little foolishness in this football."

He continued: "They should have informed us from yesterday, not after we paid the people to put up net, buy white lime, pay the people to mark the field, ambulance come and all kind of expenses ... Too much joke thing in this business."

Bailey also took a swipe at Boys' Town accusing them of prompting the JFF into cancelling the game because their squad was depleted and understrength.

"Boys' Town say they don't think it is wise to come up here because they have malaria down there. But I hear that is players they have a foreign and man out on cards. I hear that they are understrength. So they use the malaria as a perfect alibi and JFF swallow it," added Bailey.

Decision taken yesterday

Andrew Price, coach of Boys' Town, said the decision was taken yesterday in view of how rapid the disease was spreading in the adjoining communities.

"A decision was made today (Sunday) after looking at the extent to which the malaria radius had extended to people in Trench Town and Denham Town and the JFF thought it in the best interest to put off the game," said Price, who is also a member of the JFF's technical committee.

Since the outbreak of malaria last week in the west Kingston area, the Ministry of Health has confirmed over 40 cases and the JFF say they are following the medical advisory.

"A recommendation by Dr. Winston Dawes, the chairman of the JFF medical committee, that it would not be advisable to play the games mainly because there is a ban on public gatherings and football is considered a public gathering," said Garth Williams, JFF press officer.

Arnett Gardens, lying sixth in the NPL standings on 19 points, have not played a game for two weeks and their inactivity is a concern for coach Bailey. Last week, their game against Harbour View was also postponed because of the Caribbean Club Championship.

"Two weeks now and the players are match rusty. We will have to put in some practise games. A joke business, right after we a find a little rhythm," noted Bailey.