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• Significant progress: Ricketts says JFF has cleared up over JA$300 million in debt owed to Jamaican Government since 2017

  President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, says the body has cleared over JA$300 million in debt they owed to the Jamaican Government since he took office for the first time seven years ago.

  Ricketts had defeated Stewart Stephenson to complete the JFF’s 2015-19 term after the death of then-president Captain Horace Burrell in 2017 before being re-elected for his first full term in 2019.

  “We have made significant progress as it relates to our fiscal management. So far, we are in a far better position now than when we were when we got into office,” Ricketts told Sportsmax.tv last week at the unveiling of the Reggae Boyz squad for their upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Nicaragua and Honduras.

  “When we got into office I think we were indebted to the Government to the tune of over $400 million. When we took over, we we’re very intent on getting that figure down. We have cut that to $90 million and certainly, we are on track to make that $0 by the end of the year,” he added.

  Ricketts also noted that, for the first time in over a decade, the JFF has been issued a tax compliance certificate.

  When asked about the steps taken to achieve this fiscal improvement, Ricketts gave credit to the federations finance committee as well as General Secretary, Dennis Chung and Technical Committee Chairman, Rudolph Speid.

  “I must commend our finance committee. They’ve been very strong. We’ve gotten support, of course, from our parent organizations, more so FIFA, CONCACAF and CFU. We’ve had sponsors on board like Adidas who have given us major support both financially and from an equipment standpoint,” he said.

  “We have been doing very well. We have a Gen Sec in Dennis Chung who is an accountant. Rudolph Speid, our Technical Committee Chairman, is an accountant so these gentlemen have been very integral in the process of our fiscal management,” Ricketts added.

   

• Kane fit to play for England in Nations League

  Bayern Munich confirmed Harry Kane did not suffer a serious injury against Eintracht Frankfurt and will be available for England in the international break.

  Kane, who has already netted 10 goals in nine appearances for Bayern in all competitions this season, was substituted in the 72nd minute of their 3-3 draw with a suspected thigh injury.

  The England captain was assessed by the Football Association's (FA) doctors on Monday, with the German side announcing no "structural injury" was found.

  Kane, who made his 100th appearance for England during their last match against Finland, will be available for the return leg in Helsinki, and their match against Greece at Wembley prior to that.

  While the striker has been given the all-clear for international action, Dayot Upamecano and Mathys Tel have both withdrawn from their respective France squads.

  Upamecano scored against Frankfurt but was subsequently taken off in the second half after also sustaining a thigh problem, while Tel is suffering with a shoulder injury.

• Netherlands legend Neeskens dies aged 73

  Netherlands and Ajax legend Johan Neeskens has passed away at the age of 73, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has announced.

  Neeskens played a key role in the Ajax and Netherlands teams credited with popularising "total football" in the 1970s, playing alongside Johan Cruyff for club and country.

  Neeskens scored 17 goals in 49 appearances for his nation, helping them reach two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978, only for West Germany and Argentina to beat them in those showpiece matches.

  The midfielder scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the first of those finals, only for goals from Paul Breitner and Gerd Muller to hand West Germany their second title.

  He also helped Ajax win back-to-back Eredivisie crowns in 1971-72 and 1972-73, as well as three straight European Cups in 1971, 1972 and 1973, a feat that has only been replicated by Bayern Munich (1974 to 1976) and Real Madrid (2016 to 2018) since then.

  Neeskens followed Cruyff and coach Rinus Michels to Barcelona in 1974, winning the Copa del Rey and the European Cup Winners' Cup in five seasons at Camp Nou.

  A KNVB statement released on Monday read: "The KNVB was deeply saddened to learn of the unexpected death of Johan Neeskens.

  "Johan was one of our greatest. We will miss him tremendously. We wish his wife Marlis, his children Christian, Tamara, Bianca and Armand, his grandchildren Djoy and Lovee, relatives and friends much strength in bearing this great loss. Rest in peace, Johan."

  Following his retirement, Neeskens had a spell as the Netherlands' assistant manager under Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard, also assisting the latter at Barcelona from 2006 to 2008.

  He also spent four years in charge of Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen, leading them to UEFA Cup qualification via a fifth-placed league finish in 2002-03.