Delves challenging for Football President

Lawyer Joseph Delves will be putting himself up for the post of President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation when the elections are staged Saturday, October 20.{{more}}

And once elected, he plans to offer administrative change, including increased democracy, increased transparency and increased accountability.

These, he said, are fundamental areas that are lacking in the current set up in the football administrative machinery.

“There is a perception among footballers and the football loving public that the Federation is a man thing, and I plan to change that”, Delves said.

And he plans to do so by making the present Constitution a guide.

“Much of the problems faced by football in the country can be solved if we make the Constitution a living guide’, Delves opined.

He pointed to the non-functioning of several of the sub committees as creating the woes.

“When you have such sub committees going, you are going to get the best ideas and more participation from people who will not necessarily want to be part of the day to day running of the Federation,” he added.

Delves thinks that the current executive of the Football Federation, through its operations of exclusion, has taken the administrative aspects from the grassroots people.

He again pointed to the fleshing of the Constitution, so that, for example, past national players and others can be of benefit with their input.

On the contentious and touchy issue of finance, Delves holds the view that once a finance committee is enacted, the finger pointing, innuendos and allegations that tend to surface each year will be thing of the past.

Delves believes that such a committee, once formalised, will generate greater public confidence and attract public and corporate support.

“I don’t want to hear that when Joe Delves buys a jeep or a house that he is accused of stealing football money”, Delves advanced.

Delves also chided the present Executive of wasting too much money.

Whilst admitting that St. Vincent and the Grenadines needs a Technical Director on the ground, Delves thinks that the three-year stint here by Zoran Vranes was not worth his remuneration.

“I cannot say that football has progressed with a technical director here on the ground, morning, noon and night”, Delves said.

But he believes that Vranes was only able to do so, because of the way the present Executive conducts the affairs.

Agreeing that a year round technical director is part of his plans to see the sport of football move forward, Delves is of the opinion that more thought and planning must be engaged when choosing such a person.

“We must choose the best person who we can afford”, Delves said. Delves also proposed to put greater emphasis on the club structure, by reviving dormant ones, and assisting those willing to start the process.

Contending that in the main there are groups of players who play for a uniform, his said with his plans in train, clubs can be assured of technical assistance for their coaches and the assignment of technical personnel to work with the various age groups across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

A strong advocate that clubs should develop players, Delves is advancing the idea that the executive arm should have a data base of all players in the state, detailing their skills and attributes.

And the experienced lawyer wants to see a home for football, and thinks that there is a suitable area available that was not pursued by the St.Clair Leacock led executive.

Delves, a leading light in the administration of African Tref, an over 35’s masters football club, is one person thus far that has declared himself to challenge the incumbent Leacock.

Ashley Cain had earlier indicated his intentions to challenge Leacock, but last Tuesday, he told SEARCHLIGHT that he was lending his support to Delves.

Leacock is seeking re-election to the top post for the third successive term and his fourth overall.