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Three inducted into CONCACAF Hall of Fame
…as successful XXVI Ordinary Congress is held
Jamaica’s Anthony James, Nicaragua’s Julio Rocha and Clive Toye of the United States of America were inducted into the Confederation of North, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) Hall of Fame at the Confederation’s XXVI Ordinary Congress, held at the Atlantis Hotel, Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Anthony James (left) receiving his Hall of Fame Plaque from Austin Jack Warner in the presence of his mother centre.
The three esteemed gentlemen and their families were all present to receive their Hall of Fame plaques following DVD clips on their outstanding contributions to the sport over the past years.
CONCACAF President, Jack Warner, who also heads the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and is the Vice President of FIFA, expressed the Confederation’s profound gratitude to James, Roche and Toye for their sterling contributions, which has helped to shape the body into what it is today.
James was a former President of the Jamaica Football Federation from 1985–1992, holding the position for the second longest term since the National Association became affiliated with CONCACAF in 1965. He was also a founding member of the Caribbean Pro-League-Jamaican Franchises, and has been President for over 35-years of Reggae Land’s oldest amateur club, Los Perfectors.
The distinguished Jamaican, who was the leading goal scorer in Jamaica College 1968 Manning Cup Team, was a member of the CONCACAF and CFU Committees and is currently a member of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Organising Committee.
Clive Toye left accepts his Plaque from President Warner while, Julio Rocha (right) had also collected the Hall of Fame Plaque.
Rocha has been associated with the game for over 40-years, starting as a player for Club Diriangen FC and then the national team in the late 1960’s. Following a brief stint as Diriangen’s Technical Director, Rocha was appointed General Secretary of the Nicaragua Football Federation in 1988 and two years later, rose to the Presidency. He also held a similar position with the country’s Olympic Association in 1977, UNCAF (2003–2007) as well as serving as a member of the CONCACAF Executive Committee.
Rocha was the recipient of the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit in 2004 and was inducted into his country’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. He is currently a member of FIFA’s Association’s Committee and an active Sports Administration Instructor and Match Commissioner for FIFA and CONCACAF.
Toye has been Senior Consultant for CONCACAF for 11 years. Served as President of the New York Cosmos Soccer Club in the USA’s North American Soccer League (NASL) for seven-years where he signed Brazil’s Pele and Franz Beckenbauer of Germany.
He also ran three other successful NASL clubs: Baltimore, Chicago and Toronto, and later became President of the League and Chairman of the American Professional Soccer League.
During the course of his career, Toye has served on various United States Soccer Federation and Canadian Soccer Association Committees. He created the 94-member Founder’s Club which founded and bid for the ‘94 FIFA World Cup and was President of the 1994 FIFA World Cup Committee and also initiated the FIFA-United Nations 50th Anniversary celebrations – the day the world played football; negotiated the first Soviet Team Tour of the USA and the first visits of USA club teams to Cuba and China.
Toye, who was born in England, was the chief soccer writer for the London Daily Express, a correspondent for the BBC, and provided colour commentary on the CBS Network.
He authored six books, the latest (2006) being a ‘Kick in the Grass’. As a youth team soccer coach, a role he filled for many years, Toye wrote the first US Soccer Handbook for youth.
The three inductees all responded and thanked all for recognising their efforts.
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