Daley Earns 'Red Stripe Balla' Award

Tivoli Gardens' Keammar Daley, the 'Red Stripe Star Balla' for his stand-out
performance in the Flow Champions Cup 2010-2011. - Contributed

Tivoli Gardens' midfield wizard Keammar Daley, has been named 'Red Stripe Balla' of the season for his performances in the Flow Champions Cup national knockout championship.

Daley pulled the strings for a Tivoli team that went on to lift the League and Cup double, following a 3-0 thrashing of St Georges Sports Club in the knockout final, including a stunning 25-yard free-kick goal to get things going.

Although the player was not on hand to collect his award, as he is currently away on national duties with the Reggae Boyz preparing for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Tivoli's manager, Brian Rose, believes the midfielder, who was hampered by a hamstring injury for part of the season, fully deserves the accolades.

"For the last three games in that competition he was outstanding, so he received just reward," Rose said.

"It was good to take the double, it just shows that hard work pays off, for both him (Daley) and the team," he added.

It was a bitter-sweet loss of sorts for the Portland team, who were also relegated from the top flight, as their midfielder Romeo Parkes received the competition's MVP award, despite the second-place finish.

Parkes, who was also the team's leading scorer during the season with four goals, netted a brace for Georges as they went on to win 3-0 in their semi-final against Sandals Whitehouse.

leading goalscorer

Parkes also shared the leading goalscorer award with Michael Dixon of Monymusk, having both scored a total three goals in the knockout competition.

Daley, who was voted Flow Man of the Match on two occasions, received $300,000, while Parkes received $70,000.

The Flow Champions Cup 2010-11 season concluded with the awards ceremony at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) on Monday. Among the highlights was a donation made to the Youth Upliftment Through Employment (YUTE) programme by the title sponsors and event managers SportsMax, who committed $4,000 for every goal scored within regulation time of the competition. A total of 59 goals were scored, which added up to a sum of $236,000 for YUTE.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110602/sports/sports91.html

Tivoli roll with the 'Flow' at KO awards

May 31, 2011

Flow’s brand manager Nasha Douglas (fourth right) hands over the Flow Champions Cup trophy and symbolic cheque to Tivoli Gardens captain Edsel Scott (centre) during the awards presentation at the JFF offices on Monday. JFF Competitions Committee chairman, Michael Ricketts (left); club president Edward Seaga (second left), team manager Brian Rose (right), and players of the team share the occasion. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood)

NATIONAL and Tivoli Gardens midfielder Keammar Daley was named 'Star Baller' of the 2011 Flow Champions Cup Knockout competition after the curtains came down on the season with the presentation of awards at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) offices yesterday.

Daley, who scored and was also MVP of the final and currently away with the senior team in Brazil preparing for the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, received $300,000 from co-sponsor Red Stripe for winning the award.


St George's SC's Romeo Parkes was voted the competition's MVP and was also the joint-topscorer with Monymusk's Michael Dixon on three goals each.

Parkes collected $70,000 for being the MVP award and $25,000 for the topscorer honours.
Tivoli walked away with the $1 million winning purse, while St George's took home $400,000 for finishing in the runner-up spot.

Tivoli coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey was named Coach of the Year.
Meanwhile, a special cheque presentation for $236,000 was made to the Youth Upliftment Through Employment charity.

Flow's brand manager, Nasha Douglas said her company was proud to be associated with the event and is looking to continue its title sponsorship at least through to 2012.

"We thank you all for a wonderful three years and for helping to create in my mind the best knockout football championship on the island," she said.

"I believe as we continue along this journey we will continue to play a significant role in helping to facilitate a renaissance in Jamaican football," Douglas added.

Chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association and the Professional Football Association of Jamaica, Edward Seaga, noted that he was somewhat disappointed that the top-brass of the various sponsoring company were not in attendance at yesterday's function.

"Flow came on last year as the chief sponsor for the competition and demonstrated that they could handle it... and this year they repeated with better funding and once again demonstrated the interest they had in this all-island knockout," he said.

"But when you're building a brand, you must put the top shoe forward and I thought we would have seen the top people from Flow and SportsMax," Seaga argued.

He saved special congratulation for champions Tivoli, of which he is club president.

"The Tivoli team has been enormously successful this year and not only in football, but in basketball and netball," he said, referring to their 'B' League netball and South Conference basketball titles in recent weeks.
"My 'obeah man' has taken us through the league, knockout, basketball and netball and we are putting ourselves in a position to win the national basketball title in the next few weeks," he joked.

JFF Competition's Committee chairman, Michael Ricketts, was also full of praise for the West Kingston community for the way they have rebounded on the field of sports following the military incursion into the community last May.

"And that is why I say congratulations, not only to the club, but to the community as well as this is a part of their therapy for what the community has gone through," he said.


Source:  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/Tivoli-roll-with-the--Flow--at-KO-awards_8926933#ixzz1OUOGBFeM

Seaga dedicates Flow Cup victory to Tivoli community

May 10, 2011

Tivoli Gardens Football Club president Edward Seaga said he was very proud of his team this season after they added the Flow Champions Cup to their Digicel Premier League title they won only a week earlier.

With the community still recovering from an excursion by the security forces into the West Kingston enclave last May, Seaga, a former prime minister, insisted that this success was for the people of the community.

"This was all for them and they needed it," he said.

He also pointed out that winning the league and cup double, and the style with which they did it, undoubtedly makes Tivoli Gardens FC the best football side in the country for this season. "Yes, that is correct (Tivoli is the best) and

that is why we won," Seaga said on Sunday after the team defeated Portland's St George's SC 3-0 for the Flow all-island knockout trophy.

"We have been consistent in terms of being in first place, as we have been in first place 28 times out of the 38 games and 24 of those were in one sequence. So with that sort of record, I expected that we would win," noted Seaga who is also chairman of the Premier League Clubs Association.

He added that he would not have been satisfied with a one-goal victory margin in the KO final, but said the players rose to the occasion and ended the game and season in style to take home the $1 million prize money.

"Quite frankly, I was disappointed with when we were ahead by one... but I said we can't leave here with a 1-0 victory, as this is not the type of game we should win one-love and the boys felt that way too, so when they saw time running out they just put on the accelerator and scored the last two goals," beamed Seaga.

Meanwhile, coach Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey, who is on a one-year contract with the double champions, says he will be savouring the success before he makes a decision on his future with the club.

Bailey, who helped the club to the championship back in the 2003/04, replaced Lenworth Hyde at the helm for this season, and the rest is history.

"Right now I am going to enjoy the moment and rest a little and see how it goes, because the big question is if I am going to be back next season. But I don't know as yet, as this was a one-year contract, so we will get back to the table afterwards and see how things goes," he said.

"But I never like to plan way ahead so quick, and so I am going to use this opportunity to relax... but life is funny and anything can happen, so I will stay focused and positive... and we just want to do things stage by stage and step by step," Bailey explained.


Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Seaga-dedicates-Flow-Cup-victory-to-Tivoli-community_8779135#ixzz1MicgDgtL

Five nominees for Star Baller award

It has come down to this. Five players, critical to their teams' success in the Flow Champions Cup, are in a keen tussle to see who will be named the Red Stripe Star Baller and come away with a cheque for $300,000. That award will go to the player who best demonstrates sportsmanship, camaraderie, teamwork, being there for his peers and, of course, strong skill sets on the field of play.

The award is to be made on May 11 at the offices of the Jamaica Football Federation.

Dervin Campbell is a striker for Sandals Whitehouse, a team that made it all the way to the semi-finals before being eliminated by St Georges. Campbell scored two goals in the four matches and, according to coach and vice-president, Aaron Lawrence, he plays a major role in the team's success.

The club's secretary, Rochelle Forbes, echoed Lawrence's sentiments and revealed that his impact goes well beyond the field of play. "Dervin is very passionate about football," she said, "and he motivates the team." Forbes explained that Campbell never allows his teammates to hang their heads, no matter what the challenge. "You will hear him tell them, 'We play because we love to play, so let's go do this. We want to fight and we want to win'," she said.

Journeyman Demetrio Billet seems to have found a home at Santos. He scored two goals - both against Benfica - during the Flow Champions Cup. Wayne Shaw, a director at Santos, describes Billet, who is better known as Zico, as a player who many of the younger players look up to. "He plays link and centre forward and is very skilful," Shaw said. "So a lot of the younger players look up to him."

In his early 30s, Billet has played for several teams and is a seasoned campaigner who doesn't ruffle feathers. "He is very quiet and gets along with everyone," Shaw said, adding that he is a very dedicated footballer who is always at training sessions.

Two nominees from St Georges

Flow Champions Cup finalists, St Georges Football Club, boast two nominees for the Star Baller Award - Richardo Watson and Romeo Parks. Between them, they have scored five of their club's goals en route to the finals against Tivoli and they will be key to their club's chances of defeating their more fancied rivals Tivoli Gardens.

"Watson is a skilful player with pace," explains Cedric Ormsby, the club's manager.

Ormsby said Watson, who has two goals in the competition to date, is carrying a few injuries, but he is often upbeat and is very much a team man. "He is a team player, he gets along with everyone," the manager revealed. "He has a never-say-die attitude and when the chips are down, he is one of the players who rallies the team."

Unlike Watson, Parks is injury free and according to Ormsby is a dangerous player who has been called to national duty on several occasions. "If you give him a half a chance, he will score," the manager said, adding that it is not unusual for opposing teams to assign two players to him. Just as important, Ormsby explained, Parks is also a team player who possesses a sense of humour.

Last, but certainly not least, is national representative Keammar Daley who represents finalists Tivoli Gardens. Daley has, for years now, been a stand out for his club and is perhaps one of Jamaica's most popular players. He has not scored in the competition to date but his value to the club goes well beyond his goal-scoring abilities. "He doesn't have to be a goal scorer to be outstanding," club manager Brian Rose argued. "He can be a leader and a distributor on the field and those are the qualities that Keammar displays."

Rose also revealed that Daley works hard and displays high levels of good sportsmanship, especially in terms of fair play. "With these skills, he has a good a shot as any at winning the Red Stripe Star Baller Award."

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110507/sports/sports6.html

Tears of Joy Flow for Double Champions Tivoli

Jamaica’s local football season came to end on Sunday May 8, with Tivoli Gardens securing a double league victory, adding the 2011 Flow Champions Cup all island knockout title to the National Premier League title they won last week.

For Tivoli it was destiny fulfilled as the coaching staff, players and administrators dedicated the season’s success to the residents of Tivoli Gardens, who have been through trying times since an incursion last year rocked the community. In May 2010 more than seventy persons were killed and scores injured when the security forces converged on Tivoli Gardens to serve an arrest warrant on Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

For coach Glendon “Admiral Bailey”, Sunday’s 3-0 victory over St Georges to win the Flow Cup, is a fitting tribute to those past and gone. “Right now it is an emotional moment for us. This is what we set out to do - win both competitions for the community of Tivoli Gardens, and we have done that and it is a wonderful feeling.” he said.

Substitute Jameel Hardware who came on late in the second half and scored Tivoli’s second goal, wept openly as he too celebrated another triumphant season for the West Kingston-based team. The player commented passionately, “I am so proud of the guys today and for me as well scoring in the Flow Cup final. This one is for all the supporters.”

The Flow Champions Cup win is Tivoli’s third all island knock out title, having tasted victory in the 98/99 season as well as the 2005/2006 season.

President of the Tivoli Gardens club and former Prime Minister of Jamaica Hon Edward Seaga was overjoyed at the team’s success. “The team delivered for us this year and we are very pleased at the overall professionalism displayed. The hard work that has been put in has paid off” commented the dignitary and well known football advocate.

Keammar Daley received his second Flow Man of the Match award, having done so in the semi finals against defending champions Boys Town.  Daley’s amazing free kick in the 43rd minute put Tivoli ahead. “I knew I could score from that distance; I have been doing it in training and it finally worked out for me in a match situation,” he explained.

Daley received a desktop computer courtesy of Flow from Nasha Monique Douglas, Flow Brand Marketing Manager. She summed up the 2011 season, reiterating Flow’s commitment to the sport.

“Once again the Flow Champions Cup continues to pioneer local football in terms of on the field play and community support. It was evident from the turnout today that the people in Jamaica love their football, and we at Flow will continue to support the development of football in Jamaica.”

Tivoli Gardens walked away with the winner’s cheque of $1 million. Runners up St Georges pocketed $500,000 while losing semi finalists Boys Town and Sandals Whitehouse took home $250,000 each.

YUTE Benefit Increases from Flow Champion Cup

May 3, 2011

The Youth Upliftment Through Employment (YUTE) Programme has amassed a donation to date of $114,000 from Flow, Jamaica’s triple play digital provider. The figure, which will be matched by SportsMax, could increase by the end of Sunday’s game, as the two companies have committed $2,000.00 each for each goal scored throughout the course of the competition.

Denise Williams Public Relations Manager at Flow expressed support for the YUTE initiative, saying “Flow is truly proud to be a part of such a positive initiative. With the joint incentives of ourselves and Sportsmax not only are we encouraging excellence in athletic performance, but through YUTE we get the opportunity to give aid to young people across the island.”

Over 50 goals have already been scored in the Flow Champions Cup, and with the final set for Sunday May 8 between St Georges Sports Club and Tivoli Gardens; the charity could be in for more bounty when the final whistle is blown.

Already the donations have been put to good use as all eight inner city communities in phase one of the project have begun their pre skills training programme involving some eight hundred young persons.
The Mentorship programme, which is part of the YUTE Works Employment programme, is also in its advanced stage with some 62 mentors trained and deployed to their respective communities.

Melissa Johnson general consultant at Development Options, the company in charge of overseeing the YUTE programme, says the donations have impacted the mandate of the programme significantly; “Flow and SportsMax have led the way in goals for charity project. With their kind assistance, the programme has begun in earnest. Now underway are the Employment Workshops as well as our re-socialization exercise YUTE U-turn.”

Johnson added that mentors and volunteers are still needed for the programme and pointed to a need for male volunteers, “Presently we have about forty seven percent male and fifty three percent females as mentors, and we want to even things out because a lot of our participants are young men who need the guidance.”

Despite challenges the YUTE initiative continues to gain momentum. The latest venture to come on stream is a five week residential Youth Camp , where youngster from the inner city communities will undergo mentorship and training.

The finals in the Flow Champion Cup 2011 season will see St Georges and Tivoli battle for the championship at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex at 6:00pm.

Tivoli on the double

Tivoli Gardens Football Club captain and goalkeeper, Edsel Scott (centre), lifts the Flow Champions Cup after being handed the trophy by Jamaica Football Federation president, Captain Horace Burrell (left, front), while club president Edward Seaga (second right, front) and Nasha Douglas (right), marketing manager, Flow, look on, during the presentation to the Tivoli Gardens team, following their finals win at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

Premier League champions Tivoli Gardens won their second title of the season when they thrashed St Georges Sports Club 3-0 to capture the Flow Champion Cup knockout trophy, at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday.

Tivoli, who regained the Premier League trophy last weekend, were led to their victory courtesy of goals from national representatives Keammar Daley (43rd), Navion Boyd (90th) and substitute Jameel Thompson (89th).

The Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey-coached Tivoli, who led the team to their third hold on the trophy, credit his team for an exceptional performance in the second half of the game.

"The first half we were playing very flat because we were playing as if we weren't in a final," said Bailey. "However, in the second half, we moved the ball around very nicely and we scored two very good goals," he said.

Bailey, who had made a return to the west Kingston-based side at the start of the season, added that he was delighted to have copped the double this year.

"I am very happy to know that we have won the double this season because I think that we played well throughout, even when our backs were against the wall," Bailey said.

Tivoli swarmed all over St Georges from the opening whistle, but they were denied early on, as their goalkeeper Randal Huie pulled off two spectacular saves to thwart strikers ,Boyd and Roland Dean.

team dominance rewarded

However, Tivoli were awarded a free kick when the fleet-footed Boyd was brought down deep in the St Georges half, this after eluding two defenders.

Daley then stepped up to rifle home a powerful right-footed shot two minutes before half-time, which went like a rocket past Huie and into the back of the net.

Tivoli stepped up the pace in the second half and created a number of clear-cut chances, but they were unable to capitalise.

However, they were finally rewarded for their dominance when Thompson collected a through pass from Daley out of the midfield on his chest, and eluded two defenders before firing a powerful shot from just outside the 18-yard box past Huie.

Boyd killed off the game for Tivoli when he netted his third goal one minute later from point-blank range.

"We played well up to the first goal. However, with five minutes to go and down one nil, we had to go for the equalising goal and that left holes in our defence and they exploited it," said Raymond Gordon, coach of St Georges.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110509/sports/sports3.html

Tivoli await George's in FLOW KO

OPPOSITES do seem to attract, as recently-crowned Premier League champions Tivoli Gardens will face the relegated St George's SC in the highly-anticipated final of the Flow Champions Cup Knock-out football competition this Sunday at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex at 5:00 pm.

Twenty-six points separated the teams in the premiership, but this is Knock-out football and even if no one else bothers to, the Portland-based St George's will definitely march into the contest full of belief, as they look to round out a generally disappointing year with a historic hold on the All-Island Knock-out crown.

The Geoffrey Maxwell-coached St Georges will be hoping to become the first team from Portland, and in fact the Eastern Confederation, to lift the coveted title — one that would certainly add some gloss to an otherwise miserable season.

Interestingly, the final will be played just three days after the one-year anniversary of St George's last victory over Tivoli Gardens in any competition — a 2-1 triumph at Lynch Park on May 5, 2010, during an unceremonious four-game losing streak by the orange-and-black standard bearers.

League champions or not, it's a result that Maxwell is hoping to replicate and he believes it is definitely possible, once his team approaches the game with the right mentality.

"Though we got relegated from the (Premier) League, the Flow Cup is also a big trophy and the players should have enough motivation," Maxwell said.

"It's all down to the players if they really want to do well. They have to get up and put themselves together. I can only put the tactics in place, but they have to make sure that they are mentally ready for the challenge," said Maxwell.

When asked whether he would have preferred to play Boys' Town — the team that Tivoli Gardens bettered in the semi-final — Maxwell pointed out that he is quite comfortable playing Tivoli Gardens, given their style of play.

"I feel more comfortable playing Tivoli Gardens because they are more technical, they pass and move, while Boys' Town are more direct.

"I'm pretty confident and if we can approach the game in the right condition, anything is possible," Maxwell added.

However, buoyed by their fifth league triumph, Tivoli Gardens are determined to secure their third hold on the KO crown after falling at the final hurdle on two occasions in the last three years.

Tivoli Gardens coach, Alvin Shaw reported that his charges are focused on the task at hand, and removed any suggestion of them possibly taking their opponents lightly. In fact, the West Kingston-based club have postponed all celebrations until after the KO decider.

"It is a tournament that we are taking seriously despite what has happened with St Georges. We won't let our guard down; we will approach the game in a serious manner," said Shaw.

"We are a disciplined team and one of the reasons why we achieve what we have is the discipline that was maintained. They are very focused and we will maintain that," he added.

Winning Team: $1,000,000

Runner-Up Team: $400,000

Red Stripe Star Baller: $300,000

Leading Goal Scorer: $50,000

Winning Coach: $50,000

MVP: $50,000

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Tivoli-await-George-s-in-FLOW-KO_8761216#ixzz1LbG4l7k4