Dear Editor,
I recently read that Captain Horace Burrell will be returned unopposed to the position of president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF). As I read about this I began to reminisce about the 'Road to France' campaign and the differences with those that have followed.
Upon review, I believe that there are some fundamental reasons we qualified for that campaign but have not qualified since.
I remember the then JFF team mounted an excellent marketing campaign. It was so extensive that the top 18 players became household names; everyone knew who they were, where they were from, and what they were capable of achieving. This, in my view, has not happened since.
The hype that was created around the 'Road to France' theme attracted support from all over. Support came from the financiers and also from the masses, who wore Jamaica's colours, displayed flags in support, or journeyed hundreds of miles on match day to the National Stadium for the next match, be it a World Cup Qualifier or a friendly international.
Captain Horace Burrell at the time was able to organise dozens of practice matches and friendly internationals to give the players exposure and grow their confidence. This played a fundamental role in the team making it to France for the 1998 World Cup.
The players were not the best we have ever produced, but it was one of the best teams of players, where all wanted the same thing, and that was to qualify.
It became the type of campaign where all hands were on deck. The then Government supported the programme; the private sector, and the ordinary man on the ground all supported the team going to France.
Let me commend Captain Horace Burrell for the commitment he has given to the national football programme and congratulate him on his reappointment as JFF president. I believe you did it once before and you can do it again. Create the necessary hype, organise the practice matches and see to the selection of the players who possess that fire that will ignite their spirit to want to qualify for the next World Cup.
Gary Rowe
magnett0072004@yahoo.com
You can do it again, Captain Burrell
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I recently read that Captain Horace Burrell will be returned unopposed to the position of president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF). As I read about this I began to reminisce about the 'Road to France' campaign and the differences with those that have followed.
Upon review, I believe that there are some fundamental reasons we qualified for that campaign but have not qualified since.
I remember the then JFF team mounted an excellent marketing campaign. It was so extensive that the top 18 players became household names; everyone knew who they were, where they were from, and what they were capable of achieving. This, in my view, has not happened since.
The hype that was created around the 'Road to France' theme attracted support from all over. Support came from the financiers and also from the masses, who wore Jamaica's colours, displayed flags in support, or journeyed hundreds of miles on match day to the National Stadium for the next match, be it a World Cup Qualifier or a friendly international.
Captain Horace Burrell at the time was able to organise dozens of practice matches and friendly internationals to give the players exposure and grow their confidence. This played a fundamental role in the team making it to France for the 1998 World Cup.
The players were not the best we have ever produced, but it was one of the best teams of players, where all wanted the same thing, and that was to qualify.
It became the type of campaign where all hands were on deck. The then Government supported the programme; the private sector, and the ordinary man on the ground all supported the team going to France.
Let me commend Captain Horace Burrell for the commitment he has given to the national football programme and congratulate him on his reappointment as JFF president. I believe you did it once before and you can do it again. Create the necessary hype, organise the practice matches and see to the selection of the players who possess that fire that will ignite their spirit to want to qualify for the next World Cup.
Gary Rowe
magnett0072004@yahoo.com
You can do it again, Captain Burrell
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