Following his election to the top post of the Georgetown Football Association [GFA] on November 2 last year, former FIFA International Referee Otis James sat down with Stabroek Sports to discuss the issues plaguing the association and his developmental plans for 2020.
SS:-How would you describe the year 2019 for the GFA and the sport in a whole?
OJ: – “2019 was a very challenging year for the GFA, there was a lack of football played and not working together until November when the new GFA team took over then the teams felt like something good is going to happen for them.”
SS:-Given that the association was run by an Interim Management Committee [IMC] for more than a year, were they any major achievements realised and/or positive moments achieved in the year? Please list them and why?
OJ:-“The IMC tried but the clubs of the GFA needed to support positive things when it happens. They came on board and started a tournament and tried to get the teams ready for elections. Never mind the challenges in football, the [respective] clubs ExCo needed to do the work. That was the main problem with the IMC but they tried.”
SS:-Conversely, what were some of the low points for the GFA and football within the Georgetown area? Similarly, please state and why?
OJ:-“The GFA will always have small problems here and there but not paying the teams after the tournament is not good so I will say that was the lowest point for the GFA and the IMC in 2019 conversely. But the main issue was the lack of good football pitches to transform the players and help them to improve their ability to become better players.”
SS:-Given your ascension to the top post, what are the major plans for your administration in 2020?
OJ:-“The GFA in 2020 will be the year for football, it will be less talk and more football at all ages for male and female. Our main focus is to create a safe environment for our players and fans and a league that was missing since 2016. The GFA youth academy will be professionally organized with the top coaches, in the administrative department there is a huge problem all over the country. The GFA has plans to transfer the teams to clubs. The GFA will also play a major role in coaches’ education. They are the teachers of the game and if we don’t have good teachers you can’t have good students. Only then we can transform the game of football. The new GFA executive will be working very closely with the GFF, Government of Guyana and the Private Sector to develop and transform the world’s greatest sport in Georgetown.”
SS:-What more needs to be done for the sport to be resuscitated in the GFA jurisdiction and are you satisfied with the level of governance of the sport by the current GFF administration?
OJ:-“A lot more that needs to be done to put the GFA in a better position to execute the smooth running of football in Georgetown. The need for an office to run the day-to-day affairs as well as a place we can call home with a good playing surface where we can play tournaments, which will assist with finances to carry out more projects to help develop the sport.”
