DURBAN, South Africa — A contract-related stand-off between the technical staff and players of the Reggae Girlz and the governing Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), appears nearing an acceptable resolution.

In two meetings at the team’s base at the Southern Sun hotel here on Saturday, a range of issues, including an overdue incentive payment to the players, was put on the table.

In the first meeting of the day between the Hue Menzies-led technical staff and the JFF hierarchy led by president Michael Ricketts, both parties emerged satisfied that a clear path had been established for satisfactory conclusions to the pressing matters.

“I think the meeting was mutually respectful on both sides and we went in knowing that we really want to help the Girlz… this is the World Cup stage so we want to make sure we provide everything within our means for the players.

“It was a very good meeting and the president was very forthright, and as a staff, we were forthright,” Menzies told the Jamaica Observer after the conference.

Menzies, who attended the second meeting involving the players and Ricketts, said “it was receptive on the part of the federation”.

“They then met with the players and then the players explained their issues… they [JFF officials] committed that they will be looking to make this situation better moving forward. They feel very optimistic that they can get through this whole period, and hopefully, that’s very soon,” said the coach, who historically led Jamaica to the Fifa Women’s World Cup in France.

In relation to the contracts, which the coaches and players had refused to sign due to disputable points contained within, the coach now believes that the new drafts are mutually more acceptable.

“The staff had presented what they thought the contract should look like, and to be honest with you, the federation says we will do all that, and that is going to be beneficial to the Girlz,” Menzies noted.

“These meetings were beneficial (on a whole) and the federation learnt more about us and our needs and was willing to support those needs, because I thought when they started writing those contracts they did not know the needs, but now they have heard them, seen them for themselves, they now felt they needed to make the adjustments,” he added.

Regarding the outstanding payment, which was promised to the Girlz as an incentive bonus for qualifying for the World Cup, Ricketts explained the delay in delivery.

“We had negotiated with one of our sponsors to make the funds available and they had committed to have the funds in the Girlz’ accounts by Wednesday, April 3, but that was not done.

“We had subsequent discussions from a protocol standpoint as we weren’t sure if the way we were going about it was the correct thing to do, but I will speak with the sponsor as early as tomorrow (Sunday) to take that discussion further, but they [players] will be paid and we have agreed to a sum,” Ricketts noted.

He said when he returns to Jamaica, the matter will be expedited as a priority item.

“We will make connection with our sponsor, and if the funds are not available by this sponsor, then JFF must now act swiftly to make sure the Girlz are remunerated,” the JFF boss assured.

Ricketts says the meeting with the players was “vocal, but respectful”, but at the end of the day, he believes that progress was made on many fronts.

“We also had a meeting with the players and we discussed a number of things, including their contracts and the relationship between them and us… we discussed with them what would have transpired at the meeting with the technical staff earlier… the Girlz did ask some very relevant questions and we provided them with the answers.

“I believe that everybody would have left that meeting feeling that we were honest with each other, so I would think that we are now on track, not just with the coaches’s contracts, but with finalising the arrangements with the players,” he said.

“The Girlz had some concerns, and were forthright, but not disrespectful, and I asked them just to stay focused on France, and they committed to doing that, and from a welfare standpoint, we will in turn take care of them,” Ricketts added.

The JFF head said he saluted the technical staff for their lively advocacy for the players, setting aside for the time being their own outstanding business with the governing body to put that of the players on the front burner.

“In the meeting with the technical staff of the women’s programme, we dealt with many issues, including the technical component of the programme and the administrative component.

“Of course, we looked at the contracts for the Girlz, and the technical staff decided they wanted to sit back and wait a bit and to allow the Girlz issues to be dealt with so they can be comfortable,” Ricketts stated.

The JFF boss confirmed Menzies’ claim of the adjustments to the initial contract offers.

“As far as the contracts go, we decided to make adjustments, which the coaches seem to be comfortable with, and based on that, it appears we are in position now ready to sign.

“But from a legal standpoint we would like to have our lawyers look at the final document to ensure that everything is correctly done. So finally, I think that both parties are satisfied with the contents of the contracts and that we are now ready to put pen to paper,” Ricketts ended.