Portia challenges CONCACAF to be heroic in pursuit of glory
By Sean A Williams Assistant Sport Editor Jamaica Observer
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 | 8:08 AM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller challenged CONCACAF to do everything in its power to lift the greatest football prize there is, the FIFA World Cup.
Addressing the inaugural CONCACAF Sports Summit in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, the Jamaican head of state, who also pins down the sport portfolio, gave the confederation the reminder that if bringing the ‘Holy Grail’ of football home is not a top priority, it might as well “pack up its kit and go home”.
“CONCACAF must dream to win and you must execute to win…and the governments (of the confederation) must plan with CONCACAF to win,” Simpson Miller told the forum held under the banner ‘Transformation through Partnership’.
In front of a packed house at the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman, the Jamaica Prime Minister urged the CONCACAF to develop a spirit of heroes if it wishes to achieve greatness.
“We just celebrated National Heroes Day in Jamaica, and in celebration of those who paid the ultimate price in fighting for our freedom, I urge CONCACAF to stand tall and be fearless like the heroes of Jamaica,” said Simpson Miller to rousing applause.
“I know that your president Jeffrey Webb will do whatever it takes to do it, and I urge my brothers and sisters in CONCACAF to move upwards and onwards,” she added.
The CONCACAF Sports Summit sought to bring stakeholders of the game in the Central and North America and the Caribbean to a common plateau as they seek to establish a working partnership to propel football in the confederation to a higher level.
Simpson Miller, reflecting on Jamaica’s failed bid to qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup, said the country not booking one of the three automatic spots allocated to CONCACAF in no way a disgrace, but should be viewed as a learning experience in going forward.
“I think the criticism has been unfair (that we didn’t make the World Cup), but I know that Captain (Horace) Burrell will work hard to make sure that we get there again… We did it before and I know we will do it,” she said.
Meanwhile, president of CONCACAF, Jeffrey Webb said he was inspired by the Jamaican Prime Minister’s charge of taking the confederation “to the next level”.
“She really lifted us as we know she would… It’s up to us now (to decide) if for us this will be the end of a simple summit or is it going to be the start of a new vision of transformation and partnership — I don’t think we have a choice now,” said Webb, a Caymanian.
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke indicated that he will support the 2026 World Cup coming to CONCACAF, which the lead bidders are likely to be the USA, Mexico and Canada.
The last time the World Cup came to CONCACAF was back in 1994n where Brazil was crowned champions. Mexico is the only other CONCACAF member association to have hosted football’s biggest show, having done so in 1970 and 1986.
The next tournament in 2014 will be held in Brazil, with Russia to host 2018 and Qatar to welcome the world in 2022.
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