Dear Editor,
Jamaica lost a friendly football match to France, away, by 8-0. A clear drubbing. I asked the Jamaica Football Federation via twitter what was the logic of the schedule of friendlies played recently by Jamaica. No answer, yet.
Sure, we are rebuilding, but on what?
You send a team that rarely has a heavy travel schedule on over 6,000 miles of air and on the ground, taking in several countries with climate and social conditions far different from our own.
To the USA, then Europe for three games. Great sights in all these places, but besides passport stamps what was being collected? Are we known as good travellers? No. Fine. We set ourselves up well with stiff challenges against Barbados, and... don't even bother.
We grow local talent playing on pitches that are best termed fields. A few days ago a JFF representative was crowing about the wonderful opportunities our female footballers were getting for training in Florida. Lush turf, wonderful facilities, most of that on college campuses. What do we have? I watched several Monday night airings of Red Stripe Premier League action some weeks ago. I see the daily scrimmages at UTech -- nice bus shelter, outside. I remember vividly one match when a ball was moved by an alien. What else could have caused the crazy deviation as the goalkeeper stooped to collect a routine rolling ball. Goal! What? The goalie looked at the ground and his body language showed abject frustration. That's what our top teams have to deal with: dirt fields in rubbish conditions.
You don't need to be an expert to see some of what's wrong. What have our appointed 'experts' been doing to fix the conditions?
Our talent pool is deep if we look at all those who could qualify to play. But, that's only potential. Whoever is picked has to blend to make a team. I've watched a few Reggae Boyz matches in Jamaica and
abroad. The team concept is a major challenge.
Our best potential players are not playing in Jamaica. They are abroad. Some have declared themselves for other nations -- very sensible from a personal perspective. What would tempt Liverpool's Raheem Sterling to play for the Boyz? The chance of an Island Grill meal on the flights back to England? Worse, blending with the overseas-based players is an enormous task.
Look at the National Stadium. Look at its facilities. Look at the club facilities of most top-level teams in Europe. Top-level football is serious business. We are not into that, yet. We have no youth structure that builds clearly to the professional ranks. Our schoolboy matches are exciting, but who or what are they enriching? Much press coverage has gone on the new primary schoolboy tournament, the Samsung Cup, but what is it building besides brand imaging?
I look at the UWI pitches, where August Town play. I have a picture of some of the facilities with a dilapidated stretcher on the side. It reminded me of pub football in England...for bad teams.
The 8-0 score is actually flattering. Take a look at how France organises its football. Look at the USA. Look at any country due to play in Brazil this week. Do we see anything that looks like our efforts?
We are set up for failure, and at best, mediocrity. We got what we deserved. Will we draw any lessons? Wake me up when you're ready to answer.
Dennis Jones
Economist, USSF Coach and Referee
Kingston 8
dennisgjones@gmail.com
We set the Boyz up to fail
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Jamaica lost a friendly football match to France, away, by 8-0. A clear drubbing. I asked the Jamaica Football Federation via twitter what was the logic of the schedule of friendlies played recently by Jamaica. No answer, yet.
Sure, we are rebuilding, but on what?
You send a team that rarely has a heavy travel schedule on over 6,000 miles of air and on the ground, taking in several countries with climate and social conditions far different from our own.
To the USA, then Europe for three games. Great sights in all these places, but besides passport stamps what was being collected? Are we known as good travellers? No. Fine. We set ourselves up well with stiff challenges against Barbados, and... don't even bother.
We grow local talent playing on pitches that are best termed fields. A few days ago a JFF representative was crowing about the wonderful opportunities our female footballers were getting for training in Florida. Lush turf, wonderful facilities, most of that on college campuses. What do we have? I watched several Monday night airings of Red Stripe Premier League action some weeks ago. I see the daily scrimmages at UTech -- nice bus shelter, outside. I remember vividly one match when a ball was moved by an alien. What else could have caused the crazy deviation as the goalkeeper stooped to collect a routine rolling ball. Goal! What? The goalie looked at the ground and his body language showed abject frustration. That's what our top teams have to deal with: dirt fields in rubbish conditions.
You don't need to be an expert to see some of what's wrong. What have our appointed 'experts' been doing to fix the conditions?
Our talent pool is deep if we look at all those who could qualify to play. But, that's only potential. Whoever is picked has to blend to make a team. I've watched a few Reggae Boyz matches in Jamaica and
abroad. The team concept is a major challenge.
Our best potential players are not playing in Jamaica. They are abroad. Some have declared themselves for other nations -- very sensible from a personal perspective. What would tempt Liverpool's Raheem Sterling to play for the Boyz? The chance of an Island Grill meal on the flights back to England? Worse, blending with the overseas-based players is an enormous task.
Look at the National Stadium. Look at its facilities. Look at the club facilities of most top-level teams in Europe. Top-level football is serious business. We are not into that, yet. We have no youth structure that builds clearly to the professional ranks. Our schoolboy matches are exciting, but who or what are they enriching? Much press coverage has gone on the new primary schoolboy tournament, the Samsung Cup, but what is it building besides brand imaging?
I look at the UWI pitches, where August Town play. I have a picture of some of the facilities with a dilapidated stretcher on the side. It reminded me of pub football in England...for bad teams.
The 8-0 score is actually flattering. Take a look at how France organises its football. Look at the USA. Look at any country due to play in Brazil this week. Do we see anything that looks like our efforts?
We are set up for failure, and at best, mediocrity. We got what we deserved. Will we draw any lessons? Wake me up when you're ready to answer.
Dennis Jones
Economist, USSF Coach and Referee
Kingston 8
dennisgjones@gmail.com
We set the Boyz up to fail
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