Captain Horace Burrell is dead

Photo: President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Captain Horace Burrell

The President of the Jamaica Football Federation, captain Horace Burrell is dead. Burrell who had been ailing for some time passed away peacefully in Florida on Tuesday.

Burrell had the vision and foresight need to get Jamaica to qualify for the World Cup of football in 1998 in his first stint as President of the JFF between 1994 and returned to the top post in 2007 until the time of his passing, he was 67 years old.

The Minister of Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange said of his passing, “Football in Jamaica has lost a cornerstone of the sports, a man who was unwavering in his commitment. His passing has left a void that will take some time to be filled.”

Burrell had been ailing with cancer for some time now and fell gravely ill while on tour with the Reggae Boyz last year. He appeared to be recovering from the illness after making a few public appearances earlier this year, but lost the fight yesterday.

The army man changed the landscape and mindset of football in the country and has left a legacy that the country can build on as the quest for another World Cup qualification continues to be pursued. The greatest moment in his legacy is Jamaica’s qualification for the World Cup in France in 1998.