Leverkusen star Bailey facing rap after attacking Jamaican federation

Leverkusen and Jamaica star Leon Bailey

Leon Bailey has been served with a "cease-and-desist order" from Jamaican football chiefs who came under fire from the Bayer Leverkusen winger.

The highly rated 22-year-old questioned the capabilities of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and said the governing body, rather than the country's players, would be to blame if the Reggae Boyz fail to reach the 2022 World Cup.

Bailey, who has frequently been linked with Premier League giants Chelsea, also criticised the selection policies of coach Theodore Whitmore, suggesting he chops and changes his squads too frequently.

He now risks punishment from the JFF, whose president Michael Ricketts has urged Bailey to come to the federation first with any grievances.

Speaking to radio station Hitz 92 FM, Ricketts said: "Tell us what you think the problems are."

Ricketts said the comments were "unfounded", and JFF general secretary Dalton Wint told the Jamaican Gleaner newspaper that Bailey's barbs had breached protocol and would inevitably see him risk sanctions.

Is this @leonbailey's best Bayer 04 goal? pic.twitter.com/NjkLWOMu66

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) April 25, 2020

Wint said: "You can't be publicly criticising your coach or your administration without the possibilities of you being reprimanded, and so it is something that we are discussing internally as we move forward.

"What he said was very unfortunate, and it does not auger well for good relationship building for players or staff to openly criticise your employer.

"It is a cease-and-desist order because it is something that we will not be accommodating, and we are imploring everybody to stay in line and to be respectful, and if you have any difficulties or concerns, bring it to the right forum and it will be discussed, deliberated, and actions taken, and so don't wash your dirty linen in public."

Bailey, who joined Leverkusen from Genk in 2017, has scored 19 goals in 82 Bundesliga games. He was a substitute on Monday in the 4-1 win over Werder Bremen, coming off the bench in the second half.