Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau: When former top-flight Reggae Boyz defender Durrant 'Tatty' Brown broke into St James' football in the late 1980s, the football was at such a high standard that despite his immense talent, he was forced to serve a long apprenticeship before he got into the Wadadah team.

Brown's experience mirrored that of other gifted players like Devon Rickettes, the late Winston 'Twinny Bug' Anglin and many of the other players, who emerged from western Jamaica to become accomplished national and players.

"Our football is lacking in professionalism," said Brown, who played an integral role Jamaica's qualification for the 1998 World Cup in France. "The energy and organisation that was around when I was a young player is missing and it is primary due to poor leadership and uncommitted players."

reorganise football

Paul 'Tegat' Davis, Jamaica's all-time leading scorer and a former Caribbean Player of the Year, fully endorses Brown's sentiments and believes this will not get better until the leadership situation in the region is fixed.

"Our football needs to be reorganised but that will not happen unless we get leaders who are able to manage our football business properly," said Davis, who has played professionally in Israel. "We have good talent but the talent is not being managed properly."

Like Davis, who has been involved in coaching within recent years, the diminutive Brown, who has over 140 caps for Jamaica, would like to help in putting back the sheen that western Jamaica's football had when teams like Wadadah, Seba United, Reno FC and Violet Kickers dominated national football but he is not keen in getting into any disorganised system.

"I would like to help but the football is so disorganised that it hardly makes any sense to get involved," said Brown, arguably one of the best defenders Jamaica has produced. "The administrators seem unsure about what they are about and it is having a negative impact on the players."

still hope

Despite his unhappiness with the current situation, Brown believes there is still hope for the region and his suggesting an overhaul of the leadership structure in the region as well as new programmes to expose and develop talent.

"Some of the current leaders need to leave the sport and make way for people with better ideas and programmes," said Brown. "I would like to see a proper football academy developed for young players ... that is an area in which I would be only too happy to make a make a contribution."

Davis, who coached Trelawny outfit Village United and Invaders into the realms of NPL football, supports the idea of a football academy and would gladly contribute to the success of such as venture.

"I am ready to help in whatever way I can because a lot of the problem we are having with our young boys can be cured by football," said Davis. "However, I want to see people who really understand football leading the sport ... we have good leaders to start the rebuilding process."