VETERAN football administrator Carvel Stewart believes the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is now reaping what it has sewn with what he described as the sweeping incompetence which has now triggered a firestorm of controversy that has pushed the administration close to the brink.

Stewart’s sentiments came as he weighed in on reports that interim coach of the senior national team, Paul Hall has indicated he will be stepping down, while players have called for the resignation of General Secretary Dalton Wint in a leaked voice note in which JFF President Michael Ricketts seemingly supported the call.

The voice note surfaced hours after the Boyz were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Suriname in their opening Group A Nations League away assignment on Saturday, at which point it was reported that Hall told the JFF top brass that he will be resigning with immediate effect.

To add insult to injury, the Reggae Boyz, who were scheduled to arrive in the island on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s return-leg encounter against Suriname at the National Stadium, will now arrive today after a foul-up with flight plans.

It is understood that the administration was unable to tie down arrangements for the initial charter flight and, as such, had to seek alternative arrangements.

Interestingly, the Suriname team arrived in the island on schedule on Sunday.

Stewart says Wint has been at the centre of the JFF’s consistent failure and mismanagement and so the calls for his resignation comes as no surprise.

“It [call for Wint’s resignation] was inevitable, it really was. I’ve been consistent about the gross incompetence of the JFF administration and, therefore, everything else is going to fall down,” Stewart told the Jamaica Observer.

“Once you identify and correct the incompetence you will be able to move forward, but until then the JFF is going to just fail time and time again. Every venture that has been gone into has been fouled up by the incompetence of the leadership of which Wint is a main factor, so it was inevitable,” he added.

On that note, Stewart pointed out that Wint’s resignation is just one resolution to the issues facing the country’s governing football body. The other, he says, is restructuring and prioritising the country’s football.

“There is no way forward unless the whole thing changes, the whole culture, the whole business of people lining up for trips abroad and so on. But the main thing is really putting proper management in place because the general secretary is basically the CEO of the body, and this flying up and down on trips makes no sense because then you are not managing the federation,” he said with some degree of displeasure.

“I did propose that the president go to the public and see if he could find, in corporate Jamaica, somebody accomplished in management and employ that person as a general secretary. Don’t go for a solo football person; it’s good if he [potential candidate] is known in football but don’t go for somebody who thinks that they have to be present for every trip and every assignment when they are supposed to be running the company. So, that has to change — otherwise we not going anywhere,” Stewart argued.

In fact, Stewart, who has in the past chided the JFF for compromising its authority to players, couldn’t avoid the irony of the current situation involving Wint when compared to what transpired with Vin Blaine, who resigned after a letter signed by 20 members of the Reggae Girlz team was sent to the JFF calling for Blaine’s removal.

This, as in the voice note an individual was heard saying, “Mr President, we need fi hear it.”

A voice believed to be that of Ricketts then responded: “Wah you want hear?” before the original individual on the voice note responded: “So on behalf of the team, captain, vice-captain, we are asking Mr Wint to resign. That’s the only way we move forward. Can we get your word on that?” The second individual then offered, “I am saying I agree.”

“You agree as the president? Okay.”

The militant players had also threatened not to take the field against Suriname as they reportedly raised many pressing issues with the hierarchy, including the call for Wint to go.

Stewart, the chairman of Harbour View Football Club, said a bad precedence was set.

“I did say it in the previous interview. One, the JFF should have never allowed it to happen and two, gentlemen shouldn’t have resigned. But this is what we have now established and so we are reaping the whirlwind. But again, it comes down to the fundamental incompetence and it is unfortunate, but that’s where our football is,” said Stewart.

And whether or not Ricketts lives up to his word supporting Wint’s resignation, Stewart said is left to be seen.

“Well, it means there is no option for the general secretary but in my own experience, I have found that he [Ricketts] has not lived up to words or commitment and so it may have been an assurance to solve the immediate problem.

“But again, in my own experience, he has not lived up to undertakings to me personally, so it really is a wait and see because I understand that there was a similar issue in regards to someone else and that didn’t happen, so we will see,” Stewart ended.

Efforts to reach Ricketts, Wint and Hall on Sunday proved futile.