April 3, 2007

Vin Blaine’s resignation

The Jamaica Football Federation regrets the resignation of Coach Blaine as Coach of the National Women's teams. The Federation appreciates the very positive contribution of Mr. Blaine to the development of the women’s programme over the years.

The Federation feels it necessary to explain the circumstances that seemed to have led to Mr. Blaine’s resignation. At the recent CFU Congress attended by the President, national federations were mandated to add a U-15 unit to their National Female Programme; this enables them participate in upcoming competitions such as the inaugural CFU U-15 Women’s Football Tournament to be held in August 2007, as well as other tournaments such as the CAC Games and the Pan American Games. Additionally, adding this extra unit better prepares teams in the region to participate and/or qualify to the FIFA U-17 and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups.

 The immediate implication for Jamaica would be the need to expand the coaching cadre as well as to look at the development programme for womens’ football.

The President convened a meeting on Friday March 30. The meeting included Coach Blaine; Mr. Andrew Price, Chairman of the JFF Technical Committee, Mrs. Elaine Walker Brown the Chairperson of the JFF Women’s Committee, and Assistant Coach Xavier Gilbert. The stated policy from the CFU congress was outlined as well as the implications for the local women’s programme.

Members of the meeting were asked to make recommendations of the coaches who they thought would fit the programme and they all agreed.

It is subsequent to this meeting that the Federation received Coach Blaine’s letter of resignation via e-mail which was dated March 31, 2007.

Repeated attempts by the President to have dialogue with Coach Blaine since receipt of the resignation have not been responded to. The Federation will continue to do all possible to further strengthen this very important component of football in Jamaica.