Powell feels he has lit fire to start football revolution
“Change is a journey”
Paul Reid Observer writer
TUCKER, St James — Despite his failed attempt to mount a challenge to president of the Jamaica Football Federation Captain Horace Burrell, Orville Powell thinks he has sent a stinging message throughout the local football firmament.
The president of Montego Bay United is of the view that his intention to challenge the football establishment would have gone a far way to broaden the discussion in the pursuit of possible change in how football in the island is administered.
Powell got just one of the minimum four nominations required to make him eligible to effect the challenge, compared to Burrell’s 11 endorsements on Thursday’s deadline day for nominations for the December 20 extraordinary congress.
There were three abstentions from the process. The local football voting landscape is made up of the 13 parish associations, the referees group and ISSA.
The setback, he said, would not stop him speaking out when he saw the need to. “No, this is not the end… change is a journey,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
“It was not just about me getting the four nominations or the chance to contest the elections, but I asked a lot of questions of the delegates and of the president and I hope in time these questions will start the process.”
Powell admitted that maybe the lack of nominations might have been a rejection of him personally.
“Maybe the delegates did not see me as the person to effect these changes, but what I heard from all the presidents I spoke to was that change was indeed needed and the change has started,” Powell said.
The Montego Bay United owner added there may have been “fear of reprisals” among those he spoke to as he claimed he was told repeatedly that once he got the four nominations, then he would be seriously considered come election time.
Hours after it became clear that he would not be nominated, Powell could not say if his reaction to being rejected was an emotional one or not. “Disappointment is not even the word I want to use,” he stated.
Powell, clearly encouraged by the lessons learnt by engaging his fellow football colleagues, expressed some measure of satisfaction with the exercise.
“I tested the waters and it was not as bad as the result would have seemed and the message got out through the media and the consultations,” he noted.
Powell, when pressed, would not commit to whether he would launch another bid at the next available opportunity.
In his press conference held last week Tuesday, Powell, in his challenge to Burrell’s stewardship, had called for more to be done to further grow the game across the island, shooting specifically for develeopment at the parish level.
Powell’s campaign rhetoric also asked critical questions of the current administration, including issues related to the overall finances of the federation.