Ricketts ‘deceived’ – Former JFF vice-president chastises delegates for promising vote

FORMER JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) vice-president, Michael Ricketts, who was unseated by Gary Sinclair in Sunday’s Congress, says he felt deceived by some members who promised him their vote, but chose otherwise on the day.

Speaking to The Gleaner yesterday, the Clarendon FA president and South Central Confederation chairman said the result was unexpected and hurtful. Still, he instists that he is committed to the JFF and development of the sport. “No.

I never expected it,” Ricketts stated, “as people had committed themselves to supporting me. I have a problem with that because if you are not supporting me then tell me you are not supporting me.

But don’t tell me you are supporting me, and when the time comes, you do something different.

“I wouldn’t be upset with anybody if you are forthright and say to me that you cannot support me, but when you tell me that ‘I am going to vote for you’, and you don’t, I am just hurt by those persons who virtually deceived me.

“But I am not upset, I am not offended.

That’s how it is. That’s why we have elections. People are going win, and people are going to lose,” he said.

The veteran administrator noted that he has been in football for a long time and harbours no ill feelings towards anyone, and that he will continue to give all he can to the growth and development of the sport.

NOT UPSET

“I wish Gary well. I will support him. It (election) was a democratic process, so I am not upset, as I want to support football and see it grow, and I want to say to Captain (Horace Burrell) that it cannot be business as usual.

We have to make changes and adjustments to make sure there is no stagnation in the development of the sport,” he continued.

“I am in football because of the love of it.

I have the passion for it. Being a vice-president is really a title, and I am pretty sure that there will be a lot of work for me based on what the Captain said.” Ricketts added: “Captain has always had a preference for me to represent him when he is not available, and he has assured me that I will still play that role.

So whatever they call me and ask me to do, I will make myself available.

I will make the sacrifice. So nothing has changed until I think I have offered enough and it’s time to go.

“But I have no issues (presently) that will make me so upset that I will walk away,” he concluded.