THE Barbados Football Association (BFA) could face the prospect of being booked or ultimately red-carded unless they make a move.
And football administrator Hamilton Lashley has a proposal for BFA president Ronald Jones to make the prestigious Premiership prosperous for the players.
Lashley, the driving force behind the inaugural David Thompson Memorial Constituency Councils Classic, one of the two highly successful recent non-BFA tournaments – the other was the LIME Pelican Challenge – reckoned the Jones-led association should consider selling the Premier League franchise.
“I really believe that, as we go along, there is an urgent need to restructure the BFA and all its tournaments,” Lashley told SUNSPORT in an interview following last Sunday’s final which The City won 3-2 over St Thomas at Kensington Oval.
“There should be a general restructuring so that, for the first time, we have a semi-professional league. If it is too difficult for the BFA to do, then sell the Premier League franchise and other divisions to interested parties – guided, of course, by FIFA,” Lashley said.
“You are not terminating the BFA. [It is] the legitimate authority ordained by FIFA, the world governing body, but there are numerous options on how to redesign the football landscape.
I would love to act as an administrator within that concept,” he advised.
Lashley, a former BFA council member and founding member of the Pinelands and Regents Youth Group, wants to see more recognition given to youth football and community teams in the lower divisions.
“I feel there is a need to also restructure the Mini Youth League to bring it on par and give it the same attention and prominence that is given to the Premier League and other divisions,” he contended.
With the BFA’s 2012 season approaching, Lashley said a change in the fixture of Sunday matches at the National Stadium would result in bigger crowds.
“The younger players in the Under-12, Under-15, Under-19 age groups from the Mini League should be given a chance to play among the Premier League teams.
“For the triple headers on Sunday, they should include a youth match and a Division One with the Premier League while alternating with the third and second divisions, which means that a feature match from each of the divisions would be brought to the National Stadium,” Lashley suggested.
He also made it clear that the BFA definitely had to follow the example set by the David Thompson Classic and LIME Pelican Challenge out-of-season tournaments and offer the players more prize money and incentives.
He believes that Jones can rise to the challenge.
“I’m sure he is up to the challenge because the gauntlet has been thrown down. I have no doubt in my mind that he will respond accordingly.”