Plenty dollars but little sense

The local Football Federation can be credited with giving proper account of US $250,000 received annually as part of the FIFA allocations. Congratulations for the competence with which they have been able to say how their funds were disbursed.

A cursory glance at the impact of the spending leaves one to wonder if any genuine efforts are being made to improve the profile of the local game.{{more}}

Perhaps in the next sitting of the House of Parliament, the document will be tabled as proof of the Federation’s transparency. But therein lies the irony of the entire scenario.

The allocation of the funds makes for interesting analysis. It would seem that a virtual clique exists under the guise of the Football federation.

Some semblance of prudence ought to have been demonstrated by the controllers of the Federation’s purse strings. Perhaps they might want to make better use of some finances allocated, for example to the coach.

Should the Federation be paying exorbitant hotel bills with Zoran Vranes living here for nearly two years?

Other means of accommodation even by the most luxurious of Vincentian standards could have saved the Federation money. The squandering must stop.

Members of the Federation and or persons close to them seem seem not to care. Included among the bills taken care of by the association are extremely high cell phone bills.

While debts continue to accrue, there is little to show with regard to concrete benefits in the Federation’s favour. The situation appears likely to drag on, for the Clubs, affiliates, Leagues and sponsors are unwilling to stem the tide of financial hemorrhaging.

Priority must be given to the development of the sport over personal gains. Whilst we acknowledge that volunteerism is slowly making way for the practicality of today’s survival patterns, the extent of stipend paid to executive members appears to make the sport a laughing matter.

The manager of Vincy Heat is guaranteed a monthly payment, while the Federation found it hard to come up with adequate returns for an injured Rodney ‘Chang’ Jack.

Someone has to explain what is happening. Do we really love football?

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has the talent and skills to match the top teams in the region. It takes more than a group of players to achieve any status.

We missed the opportunity to appear at the world stage in Germany 2006. The way we are heading, we must alter our direction and mode of operation if we were to capitalise on the 2010 extravaganza in South Africa.

What about the preparation of coaches to ensure that the game is instilled in a progressive fashion at the junior level?

Even then, Clubs will have to break their code of silence and be more vigorous.

We have been careening down the path of destruction with our seemingly incompatible approach to sporting development.

Arguments over the use of playing facilities seem to occupy our attention.

The National Sport Council has its role to play in the maintenance of our social order. No one can overlook the capacity of sports in national development, least of all these vulnerable Caribbean States. And with our propensity for producing sporting personnel, there are avenues for economic progress more readily available and more obvious than some persons seem to know. We have to get our act together. There is too much to gain and much to lose from our continued indifference.