MICHAEL RICKETTS, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), has categorically denied using his authority to influence the selection of Jamaica’s senior men’s football team for their Concacaf World Cup qualifying football match against Panama at the National Stadium last Sunday.
Eight changes were made to the Jamaica starting team for Sunday’s home game against Panama at the National Stadium, where the Reggae Boyz were hammered 3-0.
The changes included a battery of Britain-based players, most of whom were recently recruited and thought to be better. Included in the lot was Michael Antonio, who plays for English Premier League team West Ham, and is the current leading goalscorer in the UK’s top-flight competition.
Jamaica had played their opening World Cup qualifier three days earlier in Mexico, where they suffered a narrow 2-1 loss after conceding a goal at the 89th minute.
After the Panama game, it was said on local TV that coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore’s decision to make wholesale changes for the second match had been influenced by football authorities.
Ricketts flatly denied any involvement.
“I must dispel that totally. That is absolute rubbish as there is no way I would try to impose my authority on any national coach, as to tell them who to select,” he said in a report carried on local TV.
“The JFF provided these players, provided an opportunity for these players and it was totally left up to him (Whitmore). So when I heard that a particular person was on TV saying that the JFF selected the team, and instructed Whitmore, (it’s) absolute rubbish,” the JFF president reiterated.
He also instructed to make checks with Whitmore to prove his innocence.
“And please, get some clarity from the coach because he must be in a position to say this is absolutely not true,” said Ricketts. “There is no truth to this. I had no discussion with Whitmore about the selection of the team.
“All the JFF did was to make contact with these players and to provide the opportunity for the players to represent the country. No truth at all, absolute nonsense,” he said.