Leadership style set up Daley for St James FA presidency

WESTERN BUREAU:

GREGORY DALEY says his all-inclusive approach contributed to the overwhelming manner in which he was returned as president of the St James Football Association.

Daley was returned at Monday night's election of officers, sending challenger Orville Powell to a crushing 82-16 loss.

"The outcome here tonight speaks for itself. I believe that most of the things my challenger sought to address are all valid. However, it has to be about the approach. I choose to incorporate the clubs in my decision-making, and that is why the affiliates have given me another term to lead," said Daley.

"We try to make them part of the process of change. We understand the culture they work under and help each club, administratively, to become a lot more professional in their set-up and their development, and I believe that they appreciate how we deal with things," he added.

Daley noted infrastructural development and upkeep, coaching, refereeing, discipline of players on and off the field as important areas that will be getting major attention.

"We must come to understand what is the best way to reach these clubs, all of which, attract players, mainly from inner-city communities. So for us to get the best out of them it cannot be an 'I said so, so it must be done' approach," Daley said in a clear reference to Powell's perceived style of leadership.

It is the second time in nearly four months that the Montego Bay United owner was losing a football-related election.

FAILED BID

Powell failed in his bid to garner enough affiliate support in his move to challenge Jamaica Football Federation President Captain Horace Burrell, in November 2015.

The tempestuous St James FA election of officers brought out a well-known secret that Powell was a man not afraid of speaking his mind, and he wasted little opportunity in letting the nearly 100 affiliate members hear his voice, calling into question the constitutionality of how things panned out.

Bruce Gaynor, the outgoing general secretary came in for special attention from a heated Powell, who slammed his approach to how the night's activity was to go down, but by time the votes were cast, a dejected Powell quietly left the Montego Bay Cricket Club, which hosted the night's affair.

Powell's impressive slate of candidates included former national goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, Sandra Christie, Germaine Spencer, Edmund Sherriff and Kenneth Watson.