President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts was candid in offering his thoughts on the tenure of former JFF General Secretary Dalton Wint which came to an end on Monday.
Wint tendered his resignation in the wake of an administrative nightmare which saw the Reggae Boyz being stranded in Suriname after their Concacaf Nations League encounter on Saturday.
The team was expected to return to Jamaica on Saturday night for the return fixture on Tuesday but were unable to after the JFF had failed to make proper arrangements. The players ended up arriving in Jamaica at 7:15am on Monday.
“In a meeting in Suriname, all the players gathered and briefly called Mr. Wint and myself and said that the situation as it is now is that they have gotten a mandate from all the members that they will not work with Mr. Wint and they’re insisting that he tenders his resignation,” Ricketts outlined in an interview with Nationwide Radio on Tuesday before pinpointing why the players wanted Wint gone.
“They cited incompetence and, for whatever reason, there seems to be a very strained relationship,” he added.
Players had also informed Ricketts that they would not play in Tuesday's game if Wint wasn't removed from his post.
“I think Dalton, like all of us, did have his shortcomings and my only problem with him is that I don’t think he would’ve learned as quickly I would’ve liked,” Ricketts said when asked to sum up Wint's tenure as General Secretary.
“He was strident, loyal, and committed to what he was doing but, like I said, there could very well have been some shortcomings that he would have, not with the level of urgency that I would’ve liked, learned, and been able to correct,” Ricketts added.
While also explaining how unfortunate it is for players to be able to essentially dictate staff members' job status, Ricketts ultimately said Wint did what had to be done.
“In the interest of the sport, the own players, and this nation, Wint has decided to offer his resignation,” Ricketts said.