By Neto Baptiste
Longstanding vice president of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), Gwen Salmon, said that despite the overwhelming support she could generate amongst member clubs, she will not seek to become head of the organisation while sitting president and former national player Everton Gonsalves is at the helm.
Salmon, who was speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show at the time, credited Gonsalves for playing a major role in her development as an administrator and believes that challenging him would be a sign of disrespect.
“Now is not the right time for it because of our president, Mr Everton Gonsalves, who is still there, has taught me a lot about leadership and has helped me in that aspect along the way. So whenever he decides he is stepping down, just know that Gwen Salmon will be the one that will be taking up the task,” she said.
“That is not the type of person I am. He is the one who actually brought me into the football executive and that’s not how I would want part of my legacy of football to be,” she added.
Salmon, who has served as an executive member of the football association since 2011, said the road has been a rough one but she stayed the course after realising that the cause is much bigger than the detractors.
“Even if I thought of it, it is not something I would do because I have a lot of young ladies who look up to me, that I encourage — despite whatever happens to them — that they should continue to hold strong and continue to do what they have to do to be further in football. So even though there were times I was tested, I just have to tell myself that I am not doing it only for Gwen, but I am doing it for others to see that I persevere through it all, and that’s the pathway they should follow to get to whatever they desire to be and whatever role they want to play in football,” the administrator said.
Salmon, who has been president of the Hoppers Football Club for over 10 years, is also a match commissioner, venue coordinator and match coordinator for both CONCACAF and FIFA. She is also secretary of Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Football Committee.
The ABFA elections are constitutionally due in 2022.