NEGRIL, Hanover — Newly re-elected president of Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts says the “repair work” on the country’s tarnished football image and various other problems starts immediately. Ricketts made the comments after the emphatic 39-17 win over presidential challenger Raymond Anderson in the rescheduled JFF annual general meeting (AGM) held at Royalton Negril on Sunday.

While asserting that his team “deserved” to win the contest that was delayed by court actions, Ricketts said they would remain “humble” as they carry out the mandate given to them.

The Ricketts slate was completed by Gregory Daley, president of St James Football Association; Elaine Walker-Brown of St Catherine; Raymond Grant of Portland; Barry Watson of Manchester; former JFF Vice-President Bruce Gaynor; and JFF Technical Committee Chairman Rudolph Speid.

After the AGM was shifted from its original date in February due to an injunction taken out by president of Beach Soccer, Patricia Garrell over their non-inclusion as a voting delegate, and an unusually lengthy meeting prior to the vote, Ricketts prevailed by an overwhelming margin.

“We had persons who are involved in football who were doing the work at the parish level so they would have got the support — and that was translated into votes,” Ricketts said.

Newly re-elected Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts (centre) is congratulated by Elaine Walker-Brown (left) of St Catherine Football Association and Raymond Grant of the Portland FA after the voting congress at Royalton Negril in western Jamaica on Sunday. Ricketts beat challenger and former JFF Vice-President Raymond Anderson 39-17 to retain the job as president. (Photo: Paul Reid)

“But we did a lot of work. We are deserving of it but we want to just stay focused, we want to stay humble as we have a massive repair job to do — because the football was brought into disrepute a multiplicity of times,” he explained.

Ricketts, who has led JFF since 2017, said he was not averse to the inclusion of members from the Anderson slate being included in the running of football.

“We don’t want to disenfranchise anybody who can make a contribution — I mean, it’s football. And even though I’ve been hurt emotionally sometimes but, it’s football; and like I use the analogy, ‘Your reverse mirror is so small when you compare it to your big mirror in front of you.’

“We have no time for no rear-view mirror. We’re not even looking behind us, we’re just going forward. I want to do so with the highest level of alacrity because we must get rolling tomorrow [Monday] morning.”

Addressing the legal actions in the build-up to the election, Ricketts was curt in his response.

“They lost every one. Three times we went to the court, and that just vindicates the transparency. I have never seen a JFF election as transparent as this one with an electoral committee, and electoral appeals committee, or the Electoral Office of Jamaica [EOJ] was asked to manage our affairs, so it was highly transparent. And I mean it’s just unfortunate but, like I’ve said, we must move on with the highest level of energy as football ought to be the winner.”

Anderson was present at the event but was not seen inside the banquet hall where the counting was held after the announcement.

Sports marketer Carole Beckford, who was a member of Anderson’s slate, told the Jamaica Observer she believes they left a mark, even in the heavy loss.

“The delegates wanted Mr Ricketts and his team back in the office and they have done so,” she said.

“What I think has happened though is, I think we have made enough impact on how football is governed and how it’s run that they will have to have a serious talk… how football is developed, and so we think that we have ruffled enough feathers. “Football cannot continue the way it has, and certainly the president spoke about healing and so on. He’s gonna have to reach out to people who can actually do their jobs and so it’s left up to them,” Beckford said.