‘We are concerned’ – Burrell says JFF desperately needs cash to pay Schäfer

Winfried Schäfer, Jamaica senior men’s national football team head coach, is yet to receive his salary for the month of November. Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Captain Horace Burrell, said up to Friday, the tactician had not been paid and that the federation was seeking funds to fulfil its obligation. “As it relates to Coach Schäfer’s salary, we have not yet paid Coach Schäfer,” Burrell said bluntly. “This is the first time we have not been able to pay, and such a long time over. He was due on the 25th (November) and we are not seeing the payment in December. “We have not paid him for the month of November and we are concerned. He is not a happy man. He needs to get his funds and we are hoping that this situation will be resolved shortly,” he said. He said the federation has been working around the clock trying to secure the funds needed to compensate Schäfer, but remains confident its calls will be answered. “We are in need of sponsorship support because the financial burden on the federation is extremely heavy. It is a very challenging period for the federation, but we will do our endeavour to make it work,” he added, noting that it has 11 teams to finance, several of which have been travelling for competition recently. OPTIMISTIC FOR SUPPORT “Sponsors we have talked to, many have said that in their new budget year in March, but I am optimistic that closer to the time, we will get some support. We are trying our very best, working around the clock and doing our endeavour best to see the type of support that we are able to garner to help. “But it is a challenging time and we welcome all the help we can get, because when glory comes, it doesn’t come just to the JFF it comes to the entire nation,” he added. Burrell said it was a very active year for national teams, of both genders, at the various age groups and travelling and accommodation for these competitions proved very costly. “I have to be frank. There is no other sport where so many young people are involved at the national level. We had 11 national teams that participated in competitions (this year). Others (sporting bodies) have one or two national teams. We had 11, with some 35 people travelling at each time, as you must have a full team, doctors, physios, equipment people, and that is what makes the difference with these delegations, and the cost of travel and hotel accommodation amounts to millions of dollars,” he explained. “The nation has to realise that our nation’s football is women and men. Not so long ago, we had to abandon the female programme in order to stay alive because of the finances, and that is the last thing I would want to do. Our women deserve an equal chance and we certainly are not looking to cut our women’s programme. Our ladies deserve the opportunity to display their talent the same way our men do,” he said.