Coley humbled by JFF role recommendation

Former national senior men's football team assistant coach Miguel Coley said that he is humbled to know that former head coach Winfried Schaefer and newly appointed Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts believe he deserves a role in the Federation.

Sch‰fer had said last June that Coley is what he describes as the "perfect person" for the position of technical director, replacing Vin Blaine, who had taken a similar role in Grenada.

"Coley, for me, is the best local coach in Jamaica. He's a good man for building the team from youth to the senior team. When you see the results from the schools, he knows all good players in Jamaica. He's a man who can bring Jamaican football to the next step," Schaefer said back then.

Days later, Ricketts said that he believes that Coley's talent was "wasted" by the JFF and although he had not yet decided on what role he would use him in, he said that he would definitely make him a part of his administration if he becomes JFF president, which he did last Saturday.

Now, Coley, who at the time had missed the comments because he was doing a coaching course in Spain, said that he is glad that the hard work he has put in is finally being noticed.

"They must have seen that I've done some amount of work, and the potential that I have to not only change the football, but I've worked with persons within the football fraternity to make positive changes," Coley told

The Gleaner.

Coley said that although he is unsure of what role would be offered to him, should he return to the Federation, he would do so with new ideas.

"I know being a technical director, I think I have ideas in terms of how we can go forward," he said. "I'm confident in having the ideas and vision to go forward.

"Whatever role it is, I am willing and able and definitely, I will go out there and work with whoever, as a team. Hopefully, I can help in terms of making a difference.

Coley, who previously received coaching training from Italian World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi in Antigua last year, had spent the summer in Spain in the academies of La Liga-winning clubs Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.