AS the excitement begins to ramp up for the 2023 Island Games, the Jersey Football Association suffer an anxious wait.
Neighbours Guernsey were set to host the Games in 2021, however the event was postponed until 2023 due to the Covid pandemic.
Sports teams have patiently waited for the chance to compete against their fellow islands, however due to an oversubscription of football teams, Jersey could be one of three to miss out.
Football has not been part of the Island Games since Gotland in 2017, due to Gibraltar’s inability to host the tournament in 2019 because of a lack of pitches in the territory.
With several islands eager to partake in Guernsey, the 19 entered teams must be whittled down to 16, by way of a random draw next month.
David Kennedy, the chief executive officer of the JFA said: ‘I think the tournament would be worse off if we weren’t there.
‘The Guernsey and Jersey rivalry is something that always increases excitement and with the Games so close to home, it would almost guarantee a good level of support.
‘Previous Games have been far and wide and not necessarily easy for our home supporters to travel to.
‘We are able to see Guernsey from here, so to be excluded from the event would be bitterly disappointing.’
Despite the possibility of Jersey not being involved in the Games football, Kennedy believes that the random draw is the best solution.
He would not be in favour of a system based on meritocracy.
‘The Island Games has always been one of the most inclusive events in sport,’ he said.
‘UEFA operate on a country coefficient system, which excludes the likes of Jersey and Guernsey and that is something that we firmly disagree with, as we are very small nations in the context of football.
‘So I think changing to a system like that in the Island Games would discriminate against some of the less experienced teams, who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to compete at this level.
For now, Jersey’s focus is on preparation for the upcoming UEFA Regions’ Cup in Italy, where they will represent England (see report below left).
Martin Cassidy’s side earned the opportunity after securing the FA Inter-League Cup in 2021.
The Island’s success of late overseas is another reason Kennedy is hoping that they will make the cut for the Guernsey Games.
He said: ‘We obviously want to keep the momentum going following on from the Inter-League Cup win and the recent Muratti victory.
‘But, we will form a contingency plan to continue competing against other small nations opposition and ensure that any adverse news from the draw doesn’t heavily impact the progress of our squad.’
