 So, we're kicking off this Thursday's edition of the Sportsmax Zone with football, lame duck presidency. That's how a former Jamaica Football Federation president describes the current administration in his criticism of their handling of the contract renewal of former reggae girls coach Lauren Donaldson speaking in an interview with Sportsmax.tv. Tony James said it was unwise for the current administration to split from Donaldson. Here's what he said. The upcoming election is the exact reason why that decision with Lauren is poor. If you have an election in a couple of weeks, why are you going to make a move like this? You have a lame duck presidency and administration. Why are you going to take on a massive investment for a national women's coach when JFF is still in restrictive financing? Why would you want to do that now? So that decision is a matter of bad timing. So let's welcome Tony James to the Sportsmax Zone and we're going to discuss his comments and give his overall critique of the Ricketts led administration. Tony James, welcome to the Sportsmax Zone. I haven't seen you in years. Great to see you again, sir. Thank you. Thank you, Lance. Yeah, just to expand on some of the comments that you were quoted on Sportsmax.tv, the story there, a lot of discussion has gone on about the law on Donaldson, non-renewal of his contract. I gather, though, that this narrative that he made his own bed by constantly criticizing his employers is beginning to gain traction and legs more than it was when the decision was just made. Yeah, that's possible because you have a clash of cultures. You have, I think, both in Hugh and Lawrence case, you have people coming out of an American system, probably the best in the world, with all the resources and facilities. The best in the world? We're talking football. I don't think in terms of the youth football program and the women's program, yeah, it's one of the best in the world, top five, at least, in the world. And they have all the resources. They don't have to ask for anything. When they come to Jamaica, even though they're Jamaicans, they expect a certain level of competence and they haven't got it. And you have a federation who is struggling financially in problems trying to keep the program going and it is unacceptable for anybody to be criticized in a GFF in the way that any of these are criticized. They may be very clear on it. But all things being equal, I would agree with the GFF, but all things are not equal because when you put a program of that magnitude in place at international level, then you have to follow through and support it administratively. The man has no support administratively. If you remember, the girls were very vocal, very focused, and they have proved quite correct. And all Lawrence done is take on their bad attitude in terms of being the spokesperson for the women's program. She didn't need to have that. If he had a strong manager, he wouldn't be involved in that. Lawrence is a very, very simple person. You couldn't want a simpler technical person. If you saw him when Hugh was there, you hardly heard from Lawrence. You heard from Hugh. Now, when Lawrence is there with no support, who do you hear from? That is the issue. That is the problem. Yeah. But you did say two minutes ago that given his outburst against his own employers, let me see if I understand you correctly, that the JFF, based on normal business practice, was in its right not to renew his contract? No, no, no, no. All things being equal, you can't have your employer going out and making comments like that. That is a fact. That is indisputable. But you have to make sure before you make decisions like that, that you have given the processor chance in terms of the discussions, the support. And if you listen carefully, none of those were there. Yeah. Do you think, though, that this decision and the fact that Lawrence is no longer employed as the reggae girl's head coach, will cost the Michael Ricketts administration? Not more than that. This is just one more blunder. I don't think no. I don't think this is ... Listen. The women's program had to be reset anyway. All I'm saying at the timing is pathetic. Yes. That's all I'm saying. You have two games in three weeks. You have a president who goes on a limb against all his advisors, technical advisors, to a point to learn in the first place when Vin left. You have a president who should be glorifying the fact that that decision ... Man, I'm a genius. Look at what I did. In fact, he didn't do it. Others did it. What I'm saying is a president ... He stood up for Lorne. You should be able to say, gentlemen, we were wrong. Look what the man has done. Hold on. Let's review. Let's hold on. Hold on a bit. No. You don't see many women in the picture. You don't even know who made the decision. Can you say that, based on the current position of this presidential race, that Ricketts is ahead or would he be behind Raymond Anderson, his vice president, who is challenging him? That is a good question. I went to a meeting. I was invited to a meeting in Manchester with the Manchester FA. We all spoke to a gentleman called ... I think the FIFA accountant here. And I think after that meeting, the Manchester Football Association realized what I had been trying to say to them for the last five years. Because first of all, the man outlined that we were five years unrestricted, funded. Nobody seemed to know that. For the last five years, we've been unrestricted, funded. The director there thought it was three years. The clubs there did never clue that we were even unrestricted financing. So when Mr Kool was finished, when it was out of that meeting, and the clubs and the members started to ask questions of the director, it was very obvious to all that the Jamaica Football Federation, Management Committee rules football, and that they only tell the directors on a need-to-know basis what they need to know. So the directors and the parishes and the parish personnel sometimes are lost when the clubs ask them because they really don't know. Now that's a shock to us that that is, I mean, we couldn't, we criticized, but we couldn't as clubs have ever understood that the GFF is running that manner. We could understand, for example, the most critical item on that agenda at a meeting should be your finances. And they have inherited a situation where they give out the finances, they discuss the finances, and then they take back all the documents, it's not to be discussed with anybody. Now that is, that is in terms of a confidential run administration. I don't think this particular issue would have lasted many years. I think after that meeting, at least the clubs in Manchester understood where we are in the admin in football today. Yeah, but I'm still waiting for the answer, though. Which one? Is Ricketts ahead of Anderson, as far as you're concerned, in support among the delegates that will vote in December? No, I don't know that. I don't know that. Because remember, you know, you have had a constitutional process, we're... Well no one knows for sure, you know, Tony, because we know who these elections are. Delegates will pledge their support to someone and then not give it, but just on the ground as a football man from what you're hearing and a former JFF president, and you understand how this system works, even though the delegates list has grown to 56 from 13, so things are a lot different now than from they were before. But just your gut feeling, do you think... No, I don't... Let me ask a different question. Do you think he's the favorite to retain his... Who? Ricketts? Ricketts, the favorite to retain the presidency? No, I can't answer that, because to be frank with you, I am closer to the... But you're Tony, you're not Frank. No, I'm closer to the 13 presidents who would vote. I really don't know the composition and the voting positions of those who now make up the 56. Can I ask you a different question though, because I really want to get your thoughts on this. Has Michael Ricketts failed as a president? No. He hasn't failed? No. The GFF, listen, the GFF is a difficult and very ungrateful job. We're in a wagonist nation who only applaud when we win and we do well, and are quick to criticize when we don't. At the same time, they have very little financing for development, but a lot of criticism. So you see, this perennial lack of adequate funding brings unrealistic expectations to any GFF president, including Ricketts. I think they have tried their best, they have made a lot of mistakes, but I think the issue with them is their credibility, the trust underway going forward, and I don't think they're very clear on that. Yeah. And as we know, we've been very aware of the fact that many football federations are faced with financial issues. It's not only in Jamaica, we have it back in Trinidad and all across the Caribbean. For me though, the fact, because you said it just now, the transparency has been an issue. Ricketts has been in power since 2017 to using the people of Jamaica and those making the decisions have had enough to the point where they'll say, maybe let's give another person a chance, and as Raymond Anderson, the vice president, the right person to give that chance. Now you see, I ask no question I can answer. Because the people of Jamaica don't vote. If it was left to public opinion, Ricketts would never chance. But Ricketts has mastered the political, he has inherited a corrupt construct in his administration. That is that he has inherited. I think the JFF as a body will accept that, that 13 people couldn't possibly represent Jamaica. Is 56 a good representation? I think it is reasonable. I think we had a constitutional exercise which took four years. A simple constitutional exercise took four years because this was FIFA's mandate. And at the very end of that mandate, they had a vote where people still don't realize a lot of the parishes abstained. If club football is accepted as a people who really own football, and you look at the parishes who abstained, you'd have a greater majority of clubs abstaining than supporting because the Jamaica Olympic Association fell flat on its face in carrying out its own mandate or its own promise to make sure that, island-wide, that constitutional amendments would be understood by them. So I know in our parish, for example, we didn't have a clue, and that parish president stood up and said, listen, I can't vote for it because I don't know anything about it. Next door, you heard a parish president saying, hey, we'll get it in bits and pieces, and yet they still vote for it. So that is where we are now. That is the reality of football. We're not strong in constitutional things. We're not strong in marketing. We're strong in football. Yeah. Tony, you were president of the Jamaica Football Federation between 1985 and 1992, and your work as an administrator landed you a Hall of Fame concaka induction, didn't it? That's a long way back, eh? Yeah, about 2009 or something. But I'm going to ask you this, though, because after leaving in 1992, we've had Herondale as president, Captain Horace Burrell as president twice, Boxhill between that, and Ricketts. What's your rating of where football administration has gone? A lot has happened since you left in 1992, including a qualification for the World Cup historically in 1998. What's your assessment of the quality of administration of football in the country since you left in 1992, given the presidential list that I just presented? No, but it includes me as well, because I'm part of the package. We do the JFF shuffle. At all times, two steps forward, we have to take one step back. We take one step back not only because of the politics, but because we do have the funding. It's a national sport. And the nation doesn't seem to realize it's a national sport. We do have a national commitment to this national sport. In a way, it's unfortunate that cricket is where it is in the state it's at. It has helped football to promote quite solidly the fact that football is the national sport of this country, because some in middle class Jamaica are still pining for cricket. And this is a part of the problem. And any president is going to have to go through that. So, given where we are with the situation and the Jamaica Football Federation and an election coming up, because this election constitutionally is due before year-end, Mariah just asked you about Raymond Anderson and his push to replace Ricketts as the president. How divisive and volatile do you expect this campaigning period to be because so often we hear of a president being elected and the first thing that they've got to do is to embrace everyone and mend those fractures? Yeah, no. Again, I can't judge. But I don't think it should be that divisive. They have a choice. They do at least have a choice. And this is what people do understand. A corrupt structure doesn't mean that you're stealing money. This is what some people interpret it. I have never and would never accuse anybody of that. A corrupt structure simply means that you are taking on responsibilities for a nation that you can't take on. And if you look under this administration, that is what they have inherited. And that is where we are at now. Anderson only has a chance. I mean, that's a political headlock you're having because you can't get in. Nobody else can run. If you have 13 presidents, you only have to make sure seven are taken care of. And the public perceptions that they're taken care of out of, mainly out of trouble policy. And yeah, but Tony, the fact is that the delegates that vote go now way beyond the 13 parish bosses. You know, there is Issa. There is the referees association. There's the pass players association. So that that that decision for the presidential vote extends now way behind, way beyond just the parishes. And this is the first time in recent history then that you'd have removed that headlock and allowed anybody at all to come in. And who are you letting in? Because the public perception is, hey, it's Tweedledom and Tweedledee. So what does that mean for Jamaica? They mean that, listen, people have to understand where the football was supposed to go. When Conker, Coffin, FIFA laid out, you have a technical mandate and you have an administrative mandate. And when they laid out that mandate, they would have thought that Jamaica would take it on. They would make sure that our technical mandate separates the professional part of the game from the amateur part of the game. In everything that these people have done, the international bodies, we have found a political way of politicizing it, trying to get around it. So we have spent four years to our constitution. We have done, he has done an excellent job. They have done an excellent job with the Premier League, where they have embraced the private sector, which was necessary. And that's on the way. But the rest of the program is very poor. What about this? From tier two right down to youth. Youth development hardly exists. We have had a competition format that has been the best. It matches anywhere in the world, being put on by Conker, Coffin. And yet we can't produce a team. We end up with the youth teams, giving them two weeks training, one week training, not going visa problem. It has been a disaster. As you say that, do you have any comments on Craig Butler's Phoenix Academy? In terms of? The development. What it's produced? As a developmental tool for some of your players. What has he produced? A couple of outstanding players who have made it to the highest level of football. Yeah, but no, but that is not Craig Butler alone. You give- No, I said his academy, the Phoenix Academy. No, but this is, listen. The technical program needs a serious reset. It has its pluses. I think our senior teams have done well. Our women's team have overachieved. Our junior teams have just been left lagging, just been left. It needs a reset in terms of women's football, the parish associations, which need really serious help before they collapse. They are in the verge of collapse in some of them. Schoolboy football and what you have come to know is academies. All of these things need a reset. It needs a national discussion as to where we are with all of these things. And more. We need to rethink and decide what we're doing about our overseas players versus our local players. There are a lot of things to discuss in private. In the privacy of the football family, in a way that is not like Lawn Donaldson. In a way that is not meant to embarrass anybody, is trying to get you all in the same boat, rowing in the same direction. I think, to be very frank with you, Rickett's problem is that his credibility has been shut for a very long time. He has made up ground with his new general secretary, but trust is something that once you have given it up, it's very hard to get it back. And when you look on our national teams, just like Lawn's outburst being unacceptable, it is unacceptable at our national teams. All of them be at odds with the national federation. A part of it is financial, but a part of it is just very poor administration. And in every case, both in the senior men and the senior women, they have carried a position which has been successful. They've had to remove people who had no competence. And why is that? Because of the general feeling that those around the president are allowed anything they want, and the president has to give them everything they want, because that is a political vote in headlock you have in the GFF. Yeah. Now, you want to see something that is really amazing? Look at what has happened out of Montego Bay yesterday, because football is a resilient sport, you know. Regardless of who it is, we have, in every presidency you have mentioned, we have survived, we have done better. We have taken on the Caribbean. We are getting there. But we can't wait two steps forward, one step back. And you look in Montego Bay now, what Montego Bay has done. That is what I think Conkercraft envisioned for the island, that we take professional football and put it in a bracket by itself, let this underpin our national teams and watch Jamaica soar as we spend money and separate the two. We can't do that. We have to get a tier two, a Premier League which is 16 teams. I have never heard of quality being gotten out of quantity. You have to compress quantity to get quality. We are the exact opposite because the vote of the parishes determined that. And that is our problem. Yeah, I said, question, who is ahead and who they'll vote for? It depends on their understanding of what is going on because believe me, I think some of these parishes don't know what is going on. And that is tragic. That's some of the parishes because rural Jamaica is a sleeping giant. In my time as president, I can tell you everything was Kingston. It is when rural Jamaica came through that you saw the strengths of rural Jamaica and we have to get those two in tandem. You talk about a presidency. What you have here now, people have to understand that we serve this sport and it's a time to give it up. When you look now and raising the bar out of the professional Premier League, I think in the next election, that is where we'll see quality coming out of the Premier League. If we can get the Premier League properly financed and get more people, quality people attracted to the Premier League. Tony James, great talking football with you for the last 10 or 12 minutes. We hope to have some more discussions with you. And of course, we'll be monitoring very closely the lead up to this JFF election for the new president, although it could be the same president. But thanks for joining us. Thank you very much. David, thank you very much. You're welcome. We'll be back with more on the sports night, so and after this.