Bits and pieces - JFF beginning to receive benefits of Umbro deal
Published:Thursday | May 3, 2018 | 12:00 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says that the association has begun to receive training gear from British football equipment maker Umbro as part of its four-year contract worth US$4 million (around J$494 million).
The JFF signed a contract with Umbro in Panama last December, which replaces their deal with Dubai-based kit makers Romai.
Ricketts told The Gleaner that the federation is very happy that the new deal was now in effect.
"We got a small portion of it (on Tuesday), but after the World Cup in June, we will start getting the bulk of it, but we have some pieces that we have already received," said Ricketts.
"We are feeling absolutely great about this because we are hoping to have a very big launch. We are trying to negotiate with Umbro after the World Cup because they are the sponsors for a Central American team, and they are hopeful that they can get them here to play a game and then you have a proper launch," Ricketts said.
Guatemala and El Salvador are the two Central American teams currently partnering with Umbro.
STILL IN PIPELINE
"All that is still in the pipeline, and we are still discussing it because this is the way we want to go, and they are happy about it," he said.
Ricketts added that the sponsors were very happy about the direction in which the country's football is heading, and he is hopeful that the deal will go beyond four years.
He added that the federation was in negotiations with three international teams, with the hopes of tying one of them down for a friendly international game before the FIFA World Cup in June.
"We can't name any of these teams because we just had initial talks and we engaged one of the countries while we were in the Eastern Caribbean for our two friendly matches over the weekend," said Ricketts.
"These matches will be top-class friendly matches because we have the CONCACAF League of Nations coming up. We want to hit the road running before this starts in September," he said.
"We will be having some camps to enure that we are ready when the League of Nations starts in early September," he said.
Umbro international teams
Peru
Canada
El Salvador
Guatemala
Jamaica