IT will take about $15 million to finance a six-week Brazilian training camp for Jamaica’s Under-17 footballers, who are in heightened preparation for the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament to take place in western Jamaica next February.

Originally scheduled to last for three weeks, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is actively pursuing extending the Sao Paulo camp for an additional three weeks, which “would be of great benefit” to the players as they get ready to make their final push for the FIFA Mexico Youth World Cup when they host 11 other nations at the Catherine Hall Stadium in St James and the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

The first three weeks of the camp, according to general secretary Horace Reid, will cost a cash-starved JFF some $10 million.

“This is a lot of money as our cash flow is very precarious at this time, but we’ve been having excellent co-operation with our creditors, including our travel agency,” he said.

Airfare to take the 31-man contingent deep into the South American heartland to Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been put at “close to $5 million”, while the other $5 million would cover accommodations, meals, transportation, per diems and other related expenses.

“The second three weeks we wouldn’t have the challenge of the air tickets except for the cost of changing those tickets to cover the extended period,” outlined Reid.

He said were it not for considerably reduced charges, a six-week camp could run the JFF nearly $30 million.

“There is goodwill in the sense that we were able to secure these facilities at significant concessionary rates because if we were to pay the normal charges, we would be looking in the region of $30 million and you are talking about a delegation of 22 players and nine officials,” Reid told the Sunday Observer.

“Captain (Horace) Burrell is in constant dialogue with our colleagues in Brazil in terms of even further concessions, but we’re not sure that is going to happen.

“But even if we don’t get that we believe what we’ve been able to secure for $15 million for six weeks in itself is tremendous in support coming from Brazil,” Reid explained.

At this point it appears the second phase of the camp will take place based on the advanced negotiations and planning already underway and the significance of keeping the young players “in a focused environment”.

“We’re confident that we’ll be able to put on the second part… it’s almost something that we must do as we think that it will be tremendous help to the preparation, especially since we’ll not be in a position to play international friendly games on those pitches in western Jamaica until they’re ready and they’ll not be ready for competition until maybe a week before the start of the tournament,” Reid said.

“It wouldn’t make any sense to bring them home early if we can keep them there so they don’t lose all that they would have gained as we would be able to put in another seven games for them,” he added.

Reid disclosed that “once we can conclude on the extension of the tour”, another tutor will be dispatched to Brazil to join one already there to ensure the Young Boyz will not miss out on their schooling.

On the ground in Brazil, assisting in the organisation of the second part of the camp on a voluntary basis are professors Rene Simoes and Alfredo Monteso — both former employees of the JFF.

“These gentlemen are giving their time and energy and we’re very happy for that,” Reid noted.