Which Marlon King?

ON THE SPORTING EDGE

PAUL REID

Thursday, February 16, 2012

JAMAICA Football Federation's president, Captain Horace Burrell recently announced that English-based striker Marlon King had made himself available to join the Reggae Boyz campaign in their bid to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in two years time.

My first reaction was whether there was another football player in England with Jamaican roots who had the same name as the former national striker.

Certainly the JFF boss could not be out of his mind in welcoming back a character like the one who had previously worn the national shirt before disgracing himself with a series of anti-social behaviours.

It is nothing short of a slap in the face of all Jamaicans — especially in this our golden anniversary of Independence from Britain — that someone like King, who has shown such callous disrespect for Jamaica and our flag, should even be considered for a place on our national football team.

It is not even his recent prison sentence that I am referencing, which, incidentally, he seemingly has never shown any remorse whatsoever.

I firmly believe that the reports we got from the incident at the team hotel in Manchester, England, in 2006 — when King and two other players left without permission to go to a nightclub then disrespected Jamaica and then president Crenston Boxhill — were correct.

He was rightly banned for two years but Burrell not only lifted the ban when he got back into office, he made him team captain.

This only reinforced the suspicion we had that those who served on that board were spineless and 'yes men', as it was the same board that voted unanimously after an investigation to ban King.

Then, without any further investigation and no change in the situation, and based solely on Burrell's suggestion, these same men and women voted unanimously to lift the ban.

King never even acknowledged his wrong from the incident and to show his gratitude, he reportedly cursed the coaching staff after he was substituted in a blowout win against the Bahamas at the National Stadium soon after he was reinstated.

What kind of message are we sending, Captain?

Are you saying that King, or any other football player, can behave in any manner, disrespect Jamaica, our flag and our officials and get away with it based solely on the fact that they might be able to play football better than others?

We have heard limp excuses about King having served his penance in prison and how he should be allowed to resume his professional career. Maybe so, well let him play his club football anywhere he wants but he should never be allowed to wear another Reggae Boyz shirt, unless he bought it or received it as a gift.

Marlon King has never apologised for his behaviour that morning in the hotel in Manchester, when he and the other two reportedly came back with a bevy of women in a team hotel, even when the other two did on the spot.

I believe the reports that he cursed Jamaica, the flag and the president of the JFF and said he did not need Jamaica's football.

He got it wrong, Jamaica's football nor any other sport does not need the likes of Marlon King.

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Which Marlon King?