The Bermuda Football Association has recently accepted the resignation of National Academy Coach Dennis Brown. We note Coach Brown’s comments regarding his resignation which were aired on Islandstats and Bermuda Broadcasting outlets.
While the Association has generally taken the position that we will not discuss any grievances in the public domain, we can’t remain quiet when such comments contain omissions or inaccuracies. In this regard, the Association provides this chronology of events surrounding the decision to take disciplinary action against Coach Brown:
November 2014: Brown was appointed Head Coach of the U15/U17 team;
April 17th - 20th 2015: Team travels to the Open Cup Tournament in Alabama. Team crowned Co-Champions. Brown did not travel citing work commitments.
Jul 22nd, 2015: BFA accepts invitation to 2015 Mexico 5 Nations Tournament. Tournament served as opportunity to compete after CONCACAF U15 Championships were cancelled.
August 2nd – 10th 2015: U-15 Team travels to Mexico 5 Nations Tournament in Mexico City. Brown did not travel citing a prior commitment.
March 2016: Brown commences the UEFA “B” License Course
July 18th – 25th 2016: U-17 Team participates in the 1st Round of the CFU World Cup Qualifiers in St. Vincent & the Grenadines and advances to the second round. Brown traveled with the team.
September 10th 2016: Brown commences second phase of UEFA B License Course
September 13th 2016: Meeting held with the Course Instructor regarding Coach Brown’s travel . Permission is given based on his very good performance during the course.
September 14th 2016: Team departs Bermuda for Trinidad. Coach Brown does not travel.
September 15th 2016: Coach Brown emailed BFA officials advising that he is withdrawing from the CFU U17 Championships stating business reasons. This was one day after the team departed Bermuda; one day before their first match in the tournament and two days before his rearranged departure date of September 17th.
The BFA Executive Council expects the utmost commitment from its coaches and players. The circumstances surrounding Coach Brown’s withdrawal from the CFU U17 Championships were strange and the reason given left much to be desired. In fact, the reason changed over the course of meeting with Coach Brown. Coach Brown’s original reason for not traveling with the team as stated by him was that he had to clear a mini-bus from customs and take it off Hamilton Dock. Coach Brown made it very clear that he was not putting anybody else ahead of his family. His reason then changed to his need to remain at the Coaching course in Bermuda although he was given permission to leave the course early to go on National Duty. The fact is that the Association only learned of Coach Brown’s mini-bus business in his withdrawal email and the reasons given by Coach Brown as to why he didn’t travel with the team were troubling.
The Association was also very disappointed that Coach Brown did not make any form of communication with the team or staff prior to their departure from Bermuda or at any point during the entire tournament. His apparent lack of remorse or concern for the players was another defining factor in the decision of the Player Development Committee (PDC).
Coach Brown was in clear breach of his contract with the BFA and according to its terms should have been dismissed immediately. In addition, the trend of him not being available to travel with the team could not be ignored. However, due to the fact that we hold Coach Brown in high esteem and the BFA invested $3000 into his completion of his UEFA B license, it was decided that Coach Brown would be suspended from the National Academy for two months without pay and upon the completion of his suspension he would resume as a National Academy Coach and help mentor the coaches of the women’s program who would benefit from his years of experience, organization, planning and council.
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