Jamaican former footballer Allan "Skill" Cole is mourning the death of his son, Allan Cole Jr who died suddenly on Monday morning.
"I can't talk about it now, it is too painful to deal with, maybe another time," the senior Allan Cole told Loop Jamaica reporter Claude Mills on Monday evening.
Music insider Bridget Anderson said Cole Jr's son found him lying on the ground, unresponsive. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
It is being speculated that Cole Jr died of a heart attack, but family members and friends are awaiting the results of an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.
"He was my brother, not my blood brother but a great friend. We have to wait on the autopsy to find out how he died. This is so tragic," Anderson said.
Sharing in his father's passion for football, Cole Jr, popularly known as "Ali", is a former captain of the Excelsior High Manning Cup team and played alongside Jamaican football legend Walter Boyd.
There have been an outpouring of tributes to Cole Jr since news of his death broke.
"Condolences to a very good friend of mine Mr Allan ' Skill ' Cole on the loss of his son Allan Cole Jr aka ' Ali' who is a school mate of mine and a very good friend also. Heart attack at such a young age it's sad to lose you in such a way but it's just the way life is," one man wrote on Facebook.
An Excelsior High past student, who was apparently a close friend of the deceased, wrote in a school community page on Facebook: "It was on Saturday I spoke to you never knowing that would be last time I would see you. I pray that your soul May rest in peace Allan "Ally" Cole Jr. Your presence will be truly missed."
Cole snr was a confidante and manager of late reggae legend Bob Marley.
A determined Cedric Titus High team pushed 2015 champions St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) all the way before falling 3-2 in the ISSA/FLOW daCosta Cup at Jarrett Park yesterday.
The third seeded STETHS were a bit lacklustre in their overall performance against a team that was drafted as the 30th seed. Coach Omar 'Rambo' Wedderburn said his boys gave a relaxed performance that almost cost them.
"I think we gave a relaxed performance while the Cedric Titus team came out to play. This result will make Saturday's game interesting. We have seen what they had to offer today and this will motivate us to play better come Saturday," said Wedderburn.
Coach of Cedric Titus, Delroy Delisser, believes his team has what it takes to overhaul STETHS and added that they have nothing to lose come Saturday.
"We gave up two soft goals, but I think we came out in the second half and really gave it a shot. This just shows people out there that Cedric Titus is not just here to participate. We are a team to compete, so we just have to go back, start all over again and prepare ourselves for Saturday," Delisser said.
STETHS started the game in commanding fashion, and Shemar Murray opened the scoring in the 30th minute. Five minutes later, Demani Henderson made it 2-0. Cedric Titus coach Delroy Delisser threw Triston Warren into action after conceding the second goal and this shifted the momentum in their favour.
Within a minute, Warren made a brilliant run getting and scored in the 38th minute. Then Demani Henderson scored a minute before half-time, to put STETHS back on a two-goal cushion.
Cedric Titus came out for the second half a very composed team and Kyle Marshall pulled a goal back in the 54th minute. Action swung from end to end throughout the second half, but the score remained at 3-2.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is set to launch its own digital television channel - JFF LIVE - which will be available to football fans islandwide.
A memorandum of under-standing (MOU) was signed on Wednesday, with pay-TV operator and channel developer, ReadyTV, under which details for the development, management, and distribution of the channel will be worked through.
Newly elected JFF President Michael Ricketts upon signing the MOU, spoke enthusiastically about this groundbreaking project so early in his tenure.
"As the governing body for football in Jamaica, we must be willing to explore creative solutions for the challenges we face. JFF LIVE is an innovation, which alongside other platforms will keep football fans fully up-to-date and engaged in what's happening with the JFF and Jamaican football, and, of course, will provide extra benefits to our valued sponsors and business partners. We also expect our JFF LIVE channel to become a valuable revenue earner in the future, which is important to the development programmes we intend to pursue."
READY TO DO OUR PART'
Co-CEO of ReadyTV Chris Dehring looks forward to the collaboration with the JFF.
"We all understand how important football is to Jamaicans, and ReadyTV stands ready to do our part to work with the JFF to showcase Jamaican football in new and exciting ways."
The channel is expected to be launched by December 2017 and is an integral element of the New 'JFF Live Digital Platform', launched on October 13, 2017 by the JFF.
Kingston College's (KC) coach Ludlow Bernard said yesterday that they have their sights set on more important assignments ahead after his team's 4-1 victory over Tivoli Gardens High in the first leg of their second-round match of the ISSA/FLOW Manning Cup at the Stadium East field.
Omar Thompson (fourth), Renato Campbell (13th), own goal (63rd), and Rashawn Mackison (72nd) were the scorers for KC. Tivoli's captain, David Rogers, scored for his team in the 26th minute.
Bernard said they are using both games against Tivoli to prepare themselves for the quarter-final round of the competition.
"They are extremely confident, but we want to use these games as part of the preparation going into the next round because the way it is shaping up now, it is not going to be easy going forward," said Bernard.
Resolute In Defence
Bernard added that his team played in patches throughout the match against Tivoli.
"When we went 2-0 up, we got complacent ... But we remained resolute in defence," Bernard said.
Meanwhile, in the second match of the double-header, defending champions Jamaica College (JC) had to come from two goals down at half time to earn an exciting 2-2 draw against Charlie Smith High.
Tyrick Reid (25th) and Wendell Reynolds (42nd) were scorers for the Jerome Waite-coached Charlie Smith, who led 2-0 at half time.
However, goals from Shaniel Thomas in the 48th minute and Norman Campbell in the 64th secured the draw for the Miguel Coley-coached JC.
Coley said that he was pleased with his team's performance.
"We are the defending champions and so we are expected do well. We are expected to come back, and so it didn't surprise me that we came back and tied the game," said Coley.
Waite said that despite the absence of two of his keys players, they played well.
"It was a good tactical game by the Charlie Smith team," Waite said. He added that one key player is suspended because of a red card, while the other has three yellow cards.
Leaders Portmore United will once again try to separate themselves from the pack when they play away to former champions Waterhouse at the Drewsland Stadium.
Last year's beaten finalists are one of four teams topping the league on points, but they enjoy pole position based on goal difference, and coach Shavar Thomas wants his charges to stamp their class and separate themselves from the rest.
"What we are looking for is maximum points," said Thomas ahead of today's game, adding that "we have to create a distance between ourselves and the others".
Thomas continued: "In saying that, I am fully aware of the qualities of Waterhouse and will not be taking them for granted or even attempt to look past them. Based on my observation, I would say that defensively, they are solid and have not given up much in that area, and that is what we have to target."
Potential To Unlock
To get the better of the home team, Thomas will be looking to the return of national representatives Ewan Grandison and Ricardo Morris to give them the required lift.
"They are senior players in the squad. Ewan is the captain, and his presence will help the team tremendously. They also bring quality to the team. Ewan is very steady, and Ricardo has the potential to unlock any defence once he is tuned in, and we will be looking to him to bring that quality," explained the man who has represented the country at every level.
Waterhouse's Richard McCallum, who, last week, came out of retirement to don the gloves, said his team's performance so far has been a mixed one. This, he said, is evidenced by the fact that they have drawn all three of their matches.
"Clearly, we are doing some things right, but equally clear is the fact that we are doing some things wrong also.
"Among the positives is the fact that we are tight defensively in that we have not conceded a lot of goals. Also, we are getting free in front of goal and getting chances, but we need to be more clinical in front of goal and convert these chances. We need to improve on that," said the former national goalkeeper.
His team, McCallum added, intends to make the most of the opportunities they will get to change their fortunes.
"We have looked at all our opponents in the same way. They are just teams that we have to beat so we treat Portmore United no different from how we treat Arnett Gardens, Boys' Town, or Sandals South Coast. They are all the same, and we just see them as obstacles in our way," McCallum said.
Bright Talent
Today, he said, would be as good a time as any to get their first win.
"We are in a good place right now as all the players are fit and ready. No one is suspended. We have no injuries, so the coach has a full squad from which to select," he said.
Waterhouse lost the services of the veteran Romario Campbell to Humble Lion and the bright talent of Rodave Murray to studies in the United States but were boosted by the addition of Tramaine Stewart, especially, and he will be important to their offensive chances. The former Portmore United player will be eager to get one over his former club, who would be looking to the exciting Malique Foster to tease the Waterhouse defence.
Craig Foster is averaging more than a goal a game, and he will be looking to continue that run when his Reno FC play away to Boys' Town at Barbican, while Humble Lion will be looking to stop the rot when they host defending champions Arnett Gardens.
Sandals South Coast earned their first point of the season when they fought to a 0-0 away draw with Harbour View. Today, they go up against fellow promoted team Cavalier FC and will be thinking that they can add to their points tally.
Montego Bay United have looked a shadow of themselves this season and will be punished if they continue in a similar vein when they play away to UWI FC.
Today's Games
- 3:30 p.m: Boys Town vs Reno - Barbican Complex
- 3:30 p.m: Humble Lion vs Arnett Gardens - Effortville Community
- 3:30 p.m: Sandals South Coast vs Cavalier - Frome Complex
- 3:30 p.m: UWI FC vs Montego Bay United - UWI Mona Bowl
- 3:30 p.m: Waterhouse vs Portmore United - Drewsland Stadium
Tomorrow's Game
- 8:35 p.m: Tivoli Gardens vs Harbour View - Anthony Spaulding Complex
Former champions Sandy Bay FC could be the first qualifier for the final of the Hanover Football Association Charley's JB Rum/Captain's Bakery and Grill Major League today if they can avoid a big loss to Johnson Town in their return-leg semi-finals at Watson Taylor Park, set to start at 3:00 pm.
Sandy Bay FC lead 3-0 after winning Saturday's first leg, also played at Watson Taylor Park.
Meanwhile, the other semi-final tie is in the balance after mid-season champions Super Star YC and Grand Palladium ended 1-1 at Watson Taylor Park on Sunday.
Linval Galloway had given Super Star the lead in the 52nd minute only for Renaldo Jewhill to level the scores in the 79th minute going into the return-leg on Wednesday.
On Saturday, Hugh Parker scored his first two goals of the season to stake his team to a 2-0 lead after just 15 minutes.
Parker scored in the fourth and 15th minutes, while an own goal in the 64th minute from Bradwayne Whitmore made it 3-0.
In life, Captain Horace Garfield Burrell effortlessy endeared people to himself. In death, his allure kept its magnetism, as thousands flocked to the National Arena to bid a final farewell to one of Jamaica's finest sons — a man of few equals, a man of impeccable vintage and unquestionable character.
Burrell, who lost his valiant battle with prostate cancer on June 6 in the USA, was eulogised as a visionary leader, astute businessman, Jamaican patriot, devoted family man, and a gentleman of refined taste.
These colourful tributes for the former head of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) were not just words coined to paint him in a glorious light. Everything said of the inimitable Burrell was true and honest and flowed from the purest part of the human souls that regaled him.
No doubt, Jamaica has parted ways with a giant among men.
Burrell was 67.
Recognised as the patriarch of modern Jamaican football, Burrell's larger than life attitude, steely determination, and commitment to cause complete the legacy he leaves behind.
But more importantly, he was a champion of his people and loved his country almost to a fault, and his service in their interest goes beyond measure.
However, it was in football that he made his mark. Apart from his family, Captain Burrell loved nothing more.
And though he was at home walking the corridors of the game's power brokers, it was with the business of Jamaica's football that had his heart in a tight knot. He could not break free even if he wanted to. He was hooked.
His signature achievement of leading Jamaica to the promised land of the FIFA World Cup in France 1998 has immortalised him. Captain Burrell is now woven in the fabric of what is great about this spot of land in the Caribbean Sea.
“Horace Burrell was not a man who settled for average, he used to say to me, Coach, you only live once, so you must live in first class. 'He was determined to be the best at everything he did. When he took over the JFF, he set his eyes towards goals no one had achieved before,” shared former Reggae Boyz technical director and Burrell's Road to France co-agitator, the Brazilian Rene Simoes.
“I wasn't available in Brazil, but he convinced me to move to Jamaica with my family to work day and night to support the Road to France programme. He always stands strong by his vision, even through the hardest criticism. Excellence was mandatory for him and he liked everything to be top of the line... and he did live a top of the line life,” the Brazilian went on.
Simoes, who became very close friends with Burrell since their paths first intertwined in 1994, remembered the man as a purveyor of “love and compassion”. And much more.
“(He was) a natural leader, a visionary, a successful businessman, a football lover, and a good servant to Jamaica.
“Behind a tough appearance was a man (of) kindness, a man who have become a part of my life and I will miss hearing him call me 'Big coach'. He was not a perfect man, no one is, but to me he was top of the line and he will be greatly missed,” said Simoes, who wept openly throughout the “top of the line” service for a “top of the line” man.
It was fitting that football dignitaries — from home and abroad — came out to pay their last respects to one of the game's most dynamic personalities, for the suave Burrell made scored in high and low places.
CONCACAF president, Canadian Victor Montagliani, in his tribute, remembered Burrell's unshakeable love for family.
“One of the last conversations I had with Captain Burrell was in Aruba, and I said to him 'Captain you should be proud you have a great family and great kids', and he said to me, 'Vic it is not all about cups, it is about family.' And so through all the work and dedication and appreciation for football, he never forgot that the real world cup was his family,” Montagliani noted.
“Today (yesterday), I stand before you on behalf of the FIFA president and on behalf of the 41 nations of CONCACAF, we are here not only to mourn the loss of a great man and a great friend, but also to celebrate the great accomplishments.
“He was a great football visionary, not only within our region, but in FIFA as well. We will take as victory his years of service to the game and the football family... (we) thank Captain Burrell for his extraordinary passion for the sport and for his tremendous work to capture the fans or to discover new talent,” the Canadian added.
Meanwhile, US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati hailed Burrell as a pioneer of Jamaica's football.
“We have been friends for a long time, and competitors on the field with our teams for a long time so it's a big loss for Jamaica and the football community. I think he almost single-handedly took the sport to a higher level in Jamaica, and in many ways in the CFU (Caribbean Football Union). He was relentless [and] had a great vision for the sport, and also on top of all that, he was an extraordinary family man. So football as indeed lost a giant,” said the American.
As the battle for the two promotional spots to the nation's top-flight league remains evenly poised, leaders Cavalier Soccer Club will seek to separate themselves from the pack when they take on Rivoli United in the return-round games of the Magnum/Charley's JB JFF Premier League Playoff at Stadium East today.
Meanwhile, second-placed Sandals South Coast and third-placed Priory SA will square off in the other encounter at the former's Crocs Lawn base in Westmoreland. Both games are scheduled for 3:30 pm.
Cavalier, who are currently atop on five points, will be heading into today's contest confident of keeping their unbeaten record intact, having won once and drawn twice. Rivoli will be aiming to recover from a 0-1 loss to Priory SA on last.
It has been quite the ride for both sides thus far, as the last meeting between the two former Premier League outfits ended in a 1-1 stalemate with the KSAFA champions coming from behind to earn a share of the spoils with the South Central winners.
However, while Cavalier stand out as a vibrant contender to move forward, Rivoli United's chances of booking a ticket to the 2017/18 Red Stripe Premier League season is hanging in the balance and they will be optimistic of once again getting the jump on the opponents and holding it to the end.
Head Coach Rudolph Speid is cognisant that it will, by no means, be an easy task with Rivoli United now aiming to keep their hopes alive, as they are rooted at the foot of the four-team table with one point.
“This game is going to be even harder than the first one because Rivoli is wounded. They lost their last game and I think we are really going to have to work hard to get the win because they will be coming hard,” Speid told the Jamaica Observer shortly after their 1-1 draw with Sandals South Coast on Sunday.
The St Catherine-based Rivoli are expected to be led by Liston James, Kenny Lee, Own Walters, Davion Alves, Jeremy Nelson, and Don Reid in the hunt for their first win to keep pace with the leaders.
Former St George's College standout Alex Marshall will lead the youthful Cavalier unit from the front, with National Under-17 representative Kaheem Paris, Swayne Thomas, Ryan Miller, Nicholas Hamilton and Oshane Jenkins also expected to play prominent roles throughout the contest.
The other contest between Eastern Confederation champions Priory Soccer Academy from St Ann and the Western Confederation champions Sandals South Coast from Westmoreland is also expected to be a mouth-watering clash.
There is very little to separate the two clubs, who ended goalless when they last met, but with home court advantage and experience in their favour, Sandals South Coast might have the slight edge.
They are in second on five points with a slightly inferior goal difference to Cavalier, with Priory SA, formerly Volvo, hovering closely behind on four points. the results of today's contest could, to some extent, make or break the chances of either team's progression.
Aaron Lawrence, coach of Sandals South Coast, explained the significance of today's results.
“We just have to do what we have to do when they come here and win that game. The competition remains open for both teams, so once we do our job and win this game and try getting a point away, then we will be alright,” Lawrence told the Observer.
But Priory have proved that they can hold their own on a big stage following their crucial 1-0 win over Rivoli United on last, and they will be brimming with confidence of securing a second consecutive victory.
However, tactics and defensive solidity could prove the difference along with form, and both teams have vast potential but are still yet to display their best football. Fans can expect a tight match, from two clubs that have plenty to lose.
Romaine Bennett, Ron Daley, Junior Neil and Shemar Wright will carry the Sandals South Coast attack, while Dario Stewart, Mario Gordon, Carlos Barrett, Shimar Stewart and Aliem Campbell are expected to be point men in the Priory team.
Catherine Hall FC and Heights FC confirmed their places in the final of the St James Football Association Sandals International Senior League, in rescheduled games at the UDC Field on Thursday.
Heights FC came from behind to beat Seba FC 2-1 in the first game to advance 4-1 on aggregate after they had won the first game, last week 2-0, while Catherine Hall just edged Lilliput Rovers 4-3 on aggregate after they lost 1-2 subsequent to winning the first game 3-1.
The games were originally scheduled for Tuesday, but had to be postponed due to a waterlogged field.
The final will be decided tomorrow at Jarrett Park starting at 6:00pm, with the winners qualifying for next season's Western Confederation Super League.
Kemar Brown kept up his good scoring form, giving Heights FC the lead late in the game to grant his team a decisive margin.
Kevon Baugh scored for Seba FC in the 16th minute to cut Heights FC's advantage in half, and they held the lead in the game until the 85th minute when Brown re-established his team's two-goals-lead and then added a second in the 89th minute to kill off the game as a contest.
Jeremie Bucknor and Steven Bramwell scored for Lilliput Rovers but Kemar Reid's goal was enough for Catherine Hall to just get by and qualify for the final.
A brace by Swayne Thomas has placed former Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) outfit Cavalier SC in pole position in the race for promotion to the nation's top-flight competition following a 3-0 beating of Priory SA in the JFF Magnum/Charley's JB Overproof Rum Premier League play-offs.
Thomas opened and closed the scoring in the 13th and 84th minutes, with substitute Ryan Miller (81st) getting the other in front of a moderate crowd at the Stadium East field yesterday.
The win placed the Corporate Area champions on four points, like Western Confederation champions Sandals South Coast, but with a slightly better goal difference.
Sandals South Coast got by South Central winners Rivoli United 2-1, courtesy of goals from Ron Daley (11th) and Junior Neil (58th), while Codean Smikle (20th) was the scorer for the losing team in the other encounter at Cros Lawn in Westmoreland.
Both Cavalier and Sandals South Coast are now set to square off in a top-of-the-table clash in Sunday's third set of games, while Rivoli United and Eastern Confederation champions Priory Soccer Academy from St Ann will meet in the other contest.
Unlike what they did on Sunday, Cavalier SC were slow out the blocks, as Priory SA looked very purposeful in the early exchanges and briefly worried their opponents' backline, but failed in their bid to break the deadlock.
The hosts gradually increased the tempo shortly after and grabbed the ascendancy when Thomas picked up a pass from Nicholas Hamilton and slotted past custodian Donovan Hinds in goal for Priory SA.
The score would remain unchanged at the break, as Cavalier failed to capitalise on their dominance in the attacking third, while at the other end, Prior SA relied on speculative efforts.
However, the St Ann-based team, formerly Volvo United, came alive on the resumption and applied consistent pressure, which saw them breaching Cavalier's defence on a number of occasions, but were denied by faulty shooting.
On the hour mark, Cavalier gradually broke free, but they too lacked composure in the final third.
It was not until the latter stages of the contest with the introduction of National Under-17 representative Kaheem Paris, as well as Ryan Miller, that they finally extended their lead with the Priory team seemingly running on fumes.
Miller was on hand to head home from close range, after goalkeeper Hinds failed to cleanly handle a cross from former St George's College stalwart Alex Marshall.
Priory responded with a last-ditch effort a minute later, but custodian Jeadine White, who was also a part of the National Under-17 set-up, threw himself to the left to parry a right-footed effort from substitute Romain Walsh.
Thomas returned to put the icing on the cake when he picked up a pass from Paris, before dismissing the hapless Hinds and rifling his shot into the top of the net.
Though pleased with the three points, Cavalier's Head Coach Rudolph Speid expressed disappointment with the overall display and demeanour of the team.
“Well, first of all, we are pleased for the victory because the three points are what matters most, but I wasn't satisfied with the game. We were selfish in front of goal; we tried to score when we could have passed the ball and of course in a tight game it could be the only chance, so I'm not pleased about that,” he told journalists in a post-game interview.
His counterpart Courtney Dodd felt his team failed to show when it really mattered most.
“We played poorly today (yesterday); we didn't mark well and we didn't play well on a whole. We lacked concentration and fight was missing today. So we just have to rebound and come back for maximum points in the next game,” he lamented.
