Dear Editor,

Recently, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) announced a 25-man squad of U-20 players to begin training for international competitions. Despite dominating all of the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) competitions, Santos Football Club did not earn the selection of a single player.

In this new millennium, Santos has won the 2001-2002 Major League, the 2003 KSAFA-JNBS Super League, they are the back-to-back KSAFA Shocking Vibes U-20 champions (2001 & 2002), and are also the defending Minor League U-16 champions. This resume tells the story of a healthy and successful youth programme. And yet, no member of arguably the most talented crop of U-20 players in Jamaica did not merit even a single call in a squad of 25 players. Unbelievable !

More specifically, in Jamaica today, where there is an acute absence of competent natural central mid-fielders, one wonders how and what form of alchemy was employed by the JFF selectors to omit Richard "Shortman" Edwards from U-20 selection. Edwards is regarded by many football experts as the most talented central mid-fielder in the recently concluded Super League, and he was the man in the Santos middle responsible for damage control that orchestrated back-to-back U-20 titles. As a matter of fact, although still U-20, Edwards' vision and consistency in mid-field makes a strong case for a call-up to the Jamaica U23 squad.

It really defies logic and reason that any club in Jamaica could have achieved so much at both the youth and senior level without any of the players receiving meritorious national recognition.

Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

Bertram A Scott
Public Relations Officer
Santos Football Club
The Bell Chung Stadium
1 Waverley Place
Kingston 3
santosfootballclub@yahoo.com

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