WE are indeed heartened, but certainly not overwhelmed, by last Monday’s inauguration of Phase One of the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF’s) Technical Centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus. We are heartened because although the JFF has the dubious distinction of being the only member association of FIFA to have taken seven years to complete the first phase of a FIFA Goal Project, we firmly believe that in this case it is a matter of better late than never.

Lest we forget, ground was first broken for the construction of the JFF Technical Centre in Portmore, St Catherine seven years ago, only for the project to be switched to hilly Malvern in St Elizabeth two years later, after it was decided that the Portmore site was inappropriate.

That decision to relocate the project was taken by the JFF board of directors led by Mr Crenston Boxhill, who assumed leadership of the local governing body in 2003.

When Captain Horace Burrell regained the presidency in 2007, his board, after consultation with the UWI, decided yet again to relocate the Technical Centre to the Mona campus, as part of the UWI’s overall development of the UWI Bowl of Excellence.

Eighteen months on, FIFA President Mr Joseph Blatter broke ground for Phase Two of the project, as well as declared the first phase completed.

Phase One, constructed with the standard Goal Bureau grant of US$400,000, consists of a first-class training field, which is of international dimensions, and includes an underground drainage with pop-up sprinklers irrigated by the UWI treatment plant; changing rooms, referees’ room, equipment room and temporary perimeter fencing.

However, the training field will not be ready for commission until December.

Captain Burrell vowed that Phase Two “will start soon”, and immediately after its completion, funding for Phases Three and Four will be sought through the same channels.

At completion, the Technical Centre should cost approximately US$3 million.

“When it is all completed, we will have a comprehensive facility to benefit young players for generations to come… it will serve, in keeping with world standards, to help budding players to properly develop their skills,” Captain Burrell was quoted in this newspaper.

With that guarantee from the man at the helm of local football, we hope the centre comes to full actualisation for the sake of all.

Since its inception by Mr Blatter in 1999, the Goal Bureau up to last year June had approved funding for 393 projects in 193 member countries at a cost of US$158 million. And it continues to finance these grassroots development projects at a rapid rate.

As testimony, Mr Blatter also inaugurated the Technical Centre of Anguilla on the very day he cut the ribbon to Jamaica’s.

In the long-term, we see financial benefits for the footballers, as well as for Jamaica on the whole.

For there are in excess of 40 Jamaicans, we are told, who ply their trade professionally overseas, and who are already contributing greatly to the Gross Domestic Product of Jamaica in various ways.

When completed, the centre will have dormitories which will realise financial savings for the local governing body, reducing spend on hotels during preparations and training camps.

And at long last, teams in preparation will have a permanent base for training. Somewhere to call home.

Let’s be reminded that while a Technical Centre of this nature is a plus for any sport-loving nation, the physical structures by themselves do not ensure success. That will come if the JFF adheres to decisive and progressive management in pursuit of the fundamental goals.

Then, and only then, will we be overwhelmed.