KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- Some football officials in Jamaica say they are disappointed with the decision by England based striker Marlon King to end his international career.
President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), captain Horace Burrell and former national coach Carl Browne are among officials lamenting king’s decision to quit.
Birmingham City player, King, was being targeted by A JFF delegation visiting England to recruit players to bolster the reggae boyz chances of qualifying for the 2014 world cup finals in Brazil.
“I am sorry to hear how it has ended because Marlon, then, was a very committed national player and the performances that we got from him were just unbelievable” said Brown who also coached King.
“It is really sad… to see that a career that offered a whole lot has ended the way it has now. I hope it is a lesson to all of us that in the future we can prevent endings like these”.
King announced his resignation on Sunday, a day ahead of a proposed meeting with the Burrell led delegation aimed at mending fences with the striker who seems to have been alienated from the team.
The 32-year-old has not participated in any of Jamaica’s CONCACAF semi-final round matches since serving a two-match ban for breaching “curfew rules” on a friendly assignment in Panama in May.
“When I heard the news that he retired from international football, I felt very bad because I think maybe I could have made a difference in trying to convince him to stay on”said Browne a former national defender.
“I believe that he could be of use to us”.
King has scored 12 goals from 21 appearances since making his debut for Jamaica in 2004.
In his statement Sunday, the controversial striker singled out Brown and Burrell for “their outstanding support during my time with the JFF”.
The Jamaica technical team led by head coach Theodore Whitmore that includes assistant Alfredo Montesso have been accused of snubbing king following his two match ban.
“It’s unfortunate that things have ended the way they have. He told me that the matter of Jamaica has caused him so much pain” Burrell said in an interview from England.
“We are disappointed in a very unfortunate turn.
I am not aware of any extenuating circumstances which would have caused him to take this most unfortunate decision”.
Jamaica plays in next year’s CONCACAF final round of six, which includes USA, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras.
