Welcome Mr Carl Dickson

Affiliates of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation spoke loudly with their secret ballots last Saturday at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown, by choosing Carl Dickson, to be the person to head the organisation for the next quadrennium.

Dickson thus, ousted Marvin Fraser, who occupied the seat of the president from August 2018.

As it turned out, Fraser was the lone casualty of the four positions contested during the electoral process.

This meant that two of the three vice-presidents – Otashie Spring and Wayne Grant retained their respective posts, while Dwight Roberts gained an elevation to third vice-president, after being a committee member for the last eight years.

Whilst it was democracy at work, it is somewhat instructive that Fraser was the one whose head was taken.

This column would not want to speculate or give any credence to what has surfaced, that there was some back-stabbing done by persons whom Fraser trusted.

Hopefully, it is just conjecture that one former president was working behind the scenes to see the back of Fraser.

But if that is the reality, then it was another episode of the iniquitous culture which has gripped football administration here in St Vincent and the Grenadines for sometime.

What though is an undeniable fact, is that for the president elect, Carl Dickson, his work is cut out for him.

There cannot be any honeymoon period, as there are several areas of the sport which he has to consolidate on, based on the work done under the headship of Fraser.

One has to agree without fear of contradiction, that Fraser, during the 15 months of his tenure at the helm of the SVGFF, was able to repair the facial image of the organisation, which was gravely disfigured by his predecessor.

Hence, Dickson has to continue on this path, by engendering public confidence in the sport and by extension, the SVGFF.

Too, the improvements shown on the field of play, especially with the flagship team, the senior men’s outfit in the Windward Islands Football Association (WIFA) tournament earlier in the year, and most recently, the CONCACAF Nations League, must be built on, and bettered.

Your promise of putting the prerequisite apparatus in place to ensure that St Vincent and the Grenadines reaches under 100 (specifically 85th, as you stated in your pre-election manifesto) on the FIFA rankings, would be constantly evaluated.

For persons who know Dickson well, would not question his acumen as a leader, as his many years as a senior manager at a commercial bank here, have prepared him for the challenge of being the head honcho of the SVGFF.

Hence, he brings with him a package of training that includes money management, as well as money laundering, all pluses that fit within the requirements for modern day football administration.

Additionally, Dickson has been involved in the sport at various levels, as a player, team manager, sponsor, advisor, referee and referees’ assessor and mentor.

Therefore he has to bundle all the experience and expertise to advance the sport in those areas that are lacking.

Matters of governance and knowledge of corporate structures and other protocols have exposed previous administrations.

Dickson should from the get go, embark on the professionalisation of the secretariat and other aspects of the SVGFF’s operations.

You also have to look within your set up, and realise with a great degree of honesty, that there is a lack of capacity in your ranks.

This though can be addressed if you chose wisely within the realms of the privileged position that you hold, and appoint two persons with the necessary skills to prop up the administrative framework of the SVGFF.

It would be a travesty of the highest order, if you, Mr Dickson, go the way of repaying those who supported you and not necessarily those best suited to make meaningful contributions to the national football machinery.

National football administration will be better served without persons who are either elected or selected as committee members, who are driven by the monthly stipend and who bring nothing to the table.

As you said last Saturday in your victory remarks, you do not have a bone of victimisation in your body.

You too, Mr Dickson, more than anyone else, have to watch your back, as it will not be an easy road, as you too can be devoured by the pythons and other venomous reptiles which exist in human form.

Conversely, to all those who would have preferred to see Marvin Fraser, as president, football can do without any ill will at this time.

The sport is bigger than results that were realised on Saturday; the sport is bigger than Fraser and Dickson, so persons should just accept it for what it is, and let us move forward.