As he transitions into the national role, newly appointed general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Gregory Daley, is reflecting on his achievements and challenges as president of the St James Football Association (STJFA) as well as what is in store for him at the national level.
Daley, as president of the STJFA, dedicated 13 years of service and believes that while there have been improvements in the parish, there is still much to be done and hopes his replacement can carry on the mantle.
He is expected to tender his resignation as president of the STJFA and vice president of the JFF within the next 24 hours. He will replace Dennis Chung, who resigned in May 2025. Since May, Roy Simpson has acted in the capacity of general secretary.
“One of the main things that we set out to achieve as an administration over the past two tenures was to reduce the number of teams in the parish, because we had a lot of teams and no clubs,” said Daley, speaking of the office he is about to demit.
While the administration may have cut the number of teams significantly, Daley said the club structures are still weak.
“I think that the club structures are still very, very weak in the parish. That is one of the downsides of football, because we need to strengthen those club structures,” said Daley.
“We need to bring the football more closely knitted. Instead of having 30 teams, we need to have 10 good clubs participating in the fight, so we’ll have better players, and more quality in each of these clubs. That is something that we were really fighting to achieve in the landscape of St James,” Daley added, noting it has been difficult compared to the past when football in western Jamaica was more well supported.
According to Daley, there is a detrimental mindset about football in St James.
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT
“People are blind to the fact that things are not as it was in the [19]70s, ‘80s or ‘90s with these youngsters. It’s like football is just more like a pastime for some of these players. They have quality players that could do well in national programmes, but sometimes it’s discipline, interest, and just the personality that is keeping them out,” said Daley.
“I can say that openly because that is what I see when I compare them to the players that they are going up against from other parishes, especially those in Kingston. We are still not seeing it as something that we can make a living from, go professional and better ourselves, families, and communities.” Looking ahead to the role of the incoming STJFA president, Daley advised that the person should stay committed despite the challenges and emphasised the importance of unity among the football community.
“It is going to be difficult but stay with it. We are not very united here, and that is one of the problems. You are going to get a lot of pushback and individuals who will say they are here to support football, but that is only talking. The support is not forthcoming on this side, it is only to watch a football game,” Daley stated.
According to Daley, the incoming president should seek input and support from others.
“We need persons on board who can help not only to be in the position, but to offer suggestions. The strong point of the association now is that most of the persons that make up the executive are club owners or integral in a club. They are understanding and the ones making the decisions.”
Continuing, he added, “If we continue down this line, I think that there is light at the end of the tunnel. All is not lost and we have improved and there is still a long way to go.
Daley went on to express confidence in his ability to take on his new role, citing his extensive experience in football and related fields.
“I am 110 per cent prepared. I don’t only possess the experience of football at all levels, I’m also qualified in terms of doing it. I have been around football all my life,” said Daley.
“I have gained a lot of experience in St James not only in the confed, which we have as a region, but also at the JFF level,” added Daley.
Despite the Reggae Boyz failure to automatically qualify for the World Cup, Daley remains optimistic about the country’s playoff chances, emphasising the need for continued support.
“We are still in with a chance, as difficult as it might seem. We need the support behind the team. We need the 12th and 13th man in the stands, that is what we need. We need the support internally, externally, and, of course, added to everything else, we need some luck. I am confident we have a chance and we will capitalise on it.”
