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Posted - Sep 14 2003 : 12:33:53 PM
Mac
Time to take the game to the next level
Sunday, September 14, 2003, 10:12:55 AM
IP:130.91.17.222
Taken from www.jamaicaobserver.com
Time to take the game to the next level
IAN BURNETT, Observer staff reporter
Sunday, September 14, 2003
LIKE most football-loving fans, we eagerly anticipate today's start of the 2003/04 Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL) football competition, which will become a staple diet for us over the next nine months.
But this season should be of more significance, not only because of the added monetary incentives to teams, but because it provides an opportunity for local-based players to stake a claim for a place on our national senior Reggae Boyz squad which will start its campaign next year in the first round of World Cup qualifiers for the 2006 finals in Germany.
Based on recent international games involving the Boyz, it should be clear to all and sundry, but more particularly local players, that a number of positions appear up for grabs on the senior squad. And as such it should be an added incentive for these players to step up and mount their bid -- force the technical staff to look in their direction, or the people of the fourth estate to advocate their inclusion.
However, an invitation to the national team should not be seen or taken as something easily achievable. Players should at least indicate their worthiness by way of consistent play and conduct.
No one can seriously question the fact that we produce talented players, but these individuals must come to realise that pure talent without the supporting factors such as the requisite fitness levels (including strength and stamina), football intelligence (knowledge of the rules and tactical awareness of the game), technique, and again proper conduct (manners and discipline) -- yes, we strongly believe that the 'howdys' and 'thank yous' are important -- lead to, at best, obscurity and at worse, unfulfilled dreams and ambitions. For players to make it on the big stage, they need to have the whole package.
We do not suggest that players will automatically become talented if they seriously apply themselves. Quite to the contrary, because talent, we believe, is innate.
However, we are firmly of the view that individuals who work hard at all the factors mentioned earlier are bound to be better players over time. These are really critical areas of play.
Too often we see talented players go to waste because they were not prepared to embrace the whole package that would have made them better players. They rely solely on their talent.
We have often felt that our local players do not work hard enough to meet the challenges of international football and it is full time they understand, and more importantly, accept that what obtains as standard fitness in our domestic league is in fact sub par on the international stage.
Our FIFA referees will readily admit that the pace at the international level is consistently higher than what obtains locally. Even our technical director, Carl Brown, had admitted that he needs 'two-way' players (those with the ability of strength and stamina) to attack and defend, like any warrior on a consistent basis.
Generally speaking, our players appear a step or two slower when they are pitted against international opposition, even while being clearly superior at home. None of our players seem capable of consistently covering every blade of grass on the pitch.
The utilisation of space (off the ball movement) is lacking, and is more pronounced again on the international stage. Then add the general lack of awareness for the game and the scope for improvement becomes even more glaring.
These are all areas that the players themselves can work on even without their coaches.
With technology as it is today, players need to make personal investments in VCRs or DVDs so that they can record and indeed learn from matches involving world-class players. Identify and purchase the requisite books that help with nutrition, which aids their fitness.
There are many areas of the game that our players can improve on and what better opportunity for them to do so than now. It is almost a guarantee that any player who improves sufficiently in all these areas of the game will be rewarded with a national invitation. The cupboard is too bare for such improvements to go unnoticed.
The challenge therefore is for our local players to try to improve in these areas and take themselves and ultimately their game to the next level.
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