Bruce Gaynor, the interim Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president for approximately two months, has underlined his support for newly elected boss Michael Ricketts, while declaring that both candidates had provided strong claim to the position.

Clarendon Football Association chief Ricketts defeated former Kingston and St Andrew FA President Ambassador Stewart Stephenson 8-5 in the JFF presidential election at the federation’s headquarters on Saturday.

“He has my 100 per cent support and he knows that; it’s without question,” Gaynor, who returns to his role as JFF vice-president, told the Jamaica Observer.

“I think it was a good choice, but if the other person had won that would have been a good choice. I think the parishes made a good selection in nominating these two gentlemen,” he added.

He said he was heartened by Ricketts’s victory speech, which emphasised unity as a key element in developing the country’s football.

“Mike has been a friend of mine for some time and I’m happy he has won. I’m even happier with his comments because no one man can save the JFF. It has to be a team; we all need to come forward now and see that it works,” said Gaynor, one of three JFF vice-presidents.

Embedded in each and every address that Ricketts gave on Saturday was the insistence that all hands were needed on deck.

He said that appeal also applies to his losing counterpart who at one stage had backed him to become local football’s top man after the death of sitting President Captain Horace Burrell in June this year.

“The door is open to anybody who can make a positive contribution, so, of course — and Ambassador Stephenson and I do have a proper relationship. We must operate as a family and if we are going to move the football forward we must work as a team,” Ricketts told reporters during a press conference.

During his earlier victory speech there were words suggesting glowing respect for Stephenson.

“One of my regrets this afternoon is that I ended up in a contest with Ambassador Stephenson. He was one person with whom I had developed a great relationship, somebody who supported me and somebody with whom I will still have a relationship,” Ricketts had said.

There was satisfaction in winning as well, and confidence that his successful campaign was built on strong work behind the scenes.

“I’m excited, elated, but [I] understand what the challenges are. Based on the canvas that we repeatedly did, it’s not too much of a surprise, but I want to be humble in my response, and at the same time I want to be very effective,” the new JFF head explained.

And already he is charting a course forward.

“We certainly will be working closely with our parish associations, and being a parish president I’m cognisant of the issues as it relates to the struggles and challenges. We campaigned on inclusiveness and we want to ensure that our board of directors are now a part of the decision-making process.

“I do have the kind of support that can move the football forward in this new dispensation. Each component of the sport will be addressed under this new administration… and we must now end up with a better product,” he told reporters.

Stephenson was gracious in defeat while maintaining that had he won over the majority of the delegates, Jamaica’s football would have been in good hands.

“We provided two candidates for the delegates to consider — I’m very proud of the campaign that I led. We were very transparent and we offered ideas going forward for football, and we showed that we had the support of the private sector.

“We thought our plan would have brought tremendous benefits and growth to Jamaica, but Mike will have his time and who knows what will happen in the future? Importantly, between Mike and myself, there was not one negative spoken.

“This was a choice between two different styles, two different visions, and the delegates went with the man they were more comfortable with. He sits on the board everyday with these men since I left there nine months ago. He has built a bond with them,” Stephenson explained.