AS ADVICE GOES, Adrian Donovan has his fair share for football’s governing body.
The most important? Make his past post a paid one.
The long-serving sports administrator believes the time has come for the Barbados Football Association (BFA) to employ a full-time general secretary as mandated by FIFA for the effective governance of the local sport.
It was just one of several suggestions Donovan has for the BFA as it continues to celebrate its 100th year of existence ahead of today’s annual general meeting.
“The days of having a part-time administrator coming in and out of the offie is not good enough for a million-dollar organisation,” said the former general secretary, who last filled the voluntary post in 1986.
“It’s a position that has to be filled if our football is to be properly run and as a matter of priority that post should be filled by the 2011 season.”
Currently, Charles Husbands has been filling the breach as an elected assistant general secretary for about six years on a voluntary basis.
But despite Husbands’ tireless efforts, his situation is one that Donovan doesn’t deem ideal or even constitutional.
“We were informed last year by the three FIFA officials that this should have been done,” advised the National Sports Council administrator.
He was referring to the second of two official visits from the world governing body, where FIFA legal representative Margarita Echeverria asked for an amendment to the local constitution which would allow for the appointment of an official general secretary.
Football operations consultant Kevin Pipe headed that delegation, which included marketing executive Christopher Collie, who had talks over improving the partnerships that the BFA have with its sponsors.
“We need to take a turn for the better and with this in mind there must be new initiatives and programmes put in place,” added Donovan.
And one of his suggestions is the introduction of a two-week, open transfer window.
“As it stands now, when we get to the mid-point it is usually known which teams are in the running for the big prize and which teams are going to fight relegation,” Donovan reasoned.
“The movement of players will add additional interest and vigour at that stage of the competition.
“A player who is registered for a Premier League side and can’t get a play would be able to go down in a lower division and enjoy his football,” he added.
