THE governing Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), in an apparent desperate move to replace interim Reggae Girlz Head Coach Vinmore “Vin” Blaine and hopefully reverse negative public opinion on how the sepration was handled, has promised a new appointee by next week.

General Secretary Dalton Wint explained that the technical committee was expected to wrap up interviewing potential candidates on Friday, after which an announcement of the replacement would be forthcoming.

“I have not received any information from the technical committee as yet but I think they will complete the process or are close to completing the process today [Friday] and so, hopefully by next week, we can have an announcement of the new coach,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“We are happy with how things are going and we are supporting the process. So we will allow them [technical committee] to do their thing and then, like I said, we should hear something by next week,” he added.

Blaine, who was reappointed in December following the suspension of Hubert Busby who is under investigation by Fifa for allegations of sexual misconduct in a previous coaching role, walked away from the post even after gaining the JFF’s confidence in the saga during which 20 players signed a two-page letter calling for his removal.

The top brass of the country’s governing football body has been heavily scrutinised for their handling of the situation, which came to light about three weeks ago, with former National Coach Davion Ferguson, in a recent Jamaica Observer publication, labelling the Michael Ricketts-led administration “a big joke” and a “poor administration”.

Wint pointed out that the public backlash is understandable but argued that the JFF hierarchy is and has always been working in the country’s best interest.

“To be honest, I understand clearly. If I wasn’t informed about what was happening, I would have also reacted the same way, so I don’t think it’s anything to scoff at. They want the best for the country, just like us, but we are in the system, we know the system, and we know what we have to do to get it right,” Wint said.

Observer sources say that Lorne Donaldson who, along with Hue Menzies, led the Girlz to a historic Fifa Women’s World Cup appearance in France, is said to be the front-runner to succeed Blaine.

Assuming that Donaldson is the man, football watchers are keen to see how this will play out, considering that the USA-based coach in the past was sometimes vocal in his criticism of the federation and how it conducts business.

Also, Donaldson’s separation from the programme was done in a manner that left much to be desired.

However Wint, though not confirming anything, said he is hoping to have an interactive relationship with the replacement.

“I want that person to be able to interact with me afterwards and so I don’t want to get involved in the [selection] process before. They [technical committee] will select the candidate and then we will decide how to proceed,” Wint stated.

“But while the technical committee does their thing we have to keep working because we have a programme to run, so we are doing everything that we can do right now to ensure that when the person comes in, they can get going. So, finalising camps and practice games are some of the things we are looking at,” he noted.

In the letter, which was at the centre of the controversy, the players cited among other things a lack of confidence in the technical acumen and leadership style of Blaine and his assistants, which the players find to run counter to what is required to take them to the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

The players criticised Blaine’s lack of communication and lack of professionalism, including the absence of daily schedules and absence of staff without explanation, and also slammed the staff’s tactical preparation and the absence of specific preparation before matches.

Blaine denied the allegations made by the players who he believes were being influenced by external forces.

The JFF board, in their response to the controversy, accepted the recommendation of the technical and development committee to continue with Blaine and his staff, pointing to insufficient evidence to support the concerns expressed by players in their letter.

Meanwhile, the 51st-ranked senior Reggae Girlz are drawn in Group A alongside World champions United States, hosts Mexico and Caribbean neighbours Haiti for the July 4-18 tournament in Monterrey.