No Donaldson, no problem - Wint - Coach resigns after issues with JFF, Edwards weighs in on impact

As with the departure of former senior team head coach Hue Menzies, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Dalton Wint does not expect the resignation of national Under-20 women’s coach Lorne Donaldson to have any serious effect on the team and Reggae Girlz programme.

Wint stated that the JFF has a system in place and expects the wheels to continue turning, while promising to have a replacement in place by the end of the week.

“I expect that by the end of the week we should commit to a person coming in the programme,” Wint said. “We have a system and we have Tashawna Vincent as the assistant along with the technical director and Lorne was guiding the process. We expect this will continue and this jolt will be sorted out and will get on with it.”

EFFECT ON THE TEAM

He admitted that Donaldson’s sudden departure will have some degree of impact on the team, which is getting ready to compete in the Concacaf Under-20 Women’s final round Word Cup qualifiers in the Dominican Republic next month. He, however, does not think it is something they cannot overcome.

“Any disruption in a programme will have some effect but we want to use the opportunity to minimise this negative affects so the performance of the girls can elevate the programme, so we will get together and come up with solutions for this situation,” Wint added.

Donaldson, who assisted Menzies in leading Jamaica to their historic FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance, in a letter to JFF president Michael Ricketts, said questionable integrity and a lack of professionalism within the leadership of the JFF were the reasons behind his decision to step down.

“On my principle and integrity, I wasn’t going to do it. I thought it was best to walk away ... I didn’t want to be a distraction or anybody saying that Lorne was a distraction. It’s just time to move on,” said Donaldson, who l ike Menzies, who resigned in December, has had long-standing issues with the JFF hierarchy around payments and general support for the programme.

“Leaving the programme shouldn’t be a major jerk, they will survive and they will find good coaches. I want to be positive and support the players but I walk away on principle and integrity,” Donaldson said.

Despite his late resignation, Donaldson believes the team still stand a good chance and says they still have his support.

Meanwhile, Charles Edwards, coach of Barbican Women, says losing Menzies and Donaldson just months after Jamaica’s historic World Cup qualification is not leaving a good public impression on the JFF.

“An extremely negative image is being created. After going to the World Cup, we are supposed to be building on the momentum and looking to drive the programme forward. Now all of this leaves a negative impression. When you are looking support from corporate Jamaica, they looking on are not going to be impressed by what is going on, so it will be very difficult to finance and push the programme forward,” Edwards said.