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| Karl |
Posted - Oct 10 2003 : 08:15:40 AM
in very last stage of attempts to qualify for World Championships.
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Brown lauds gritty U-17s
... but cites weaknesses in youth programme
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Observer staff reporter
Sunday, May 04, 2003
BROWN... we need to teach football at the younger level
JAMAICA'S under-17 footballers may have failed in their bid to gain a spot in this summer's Youth World Cup in Finland, but their legendary display of guts will be a talking point for some time.
With their 0-5 thrashing by Mexico at the Cruz Azul Stadium in Mexico City in the second leg play-off for CONCACAF's final qualifying place, a dream folded and died.
No one but the players themselves truly expected to salvage anything from the Mexico game. The Mexcians had taken a 0-2 lead in the first leg of the two-way tie in Kingston.
After battling with 11 players on the pitch for 90 minutes plus Mexico's 12th man (the high altitude) over a week ago, many of the youngsters broke down in tears and cursed their misfortune.
They never had a chance; only they did not know it.
Technical director, Carl Brown, cited a number of factors that contributed to the Young Boyz's failed campaign. While he heaped praises on the players for their character, he thought the team was somewhat short on outstanding talent and technique.
'When you look at people like Keneil Moodie, goalkeeper Duwayne Kerr and Philip Hall, who just went out there and gave their all ... where they lacked real talent, they made up with guts,' he said.
It was obvious the players' technical abilities were way below that of teams competing in the final phase of the qualifiers.
'We have to look seriously at teaching the football at the younger level ... throughout the tournament, we were way behind in the technical area ... we saw it in Guatemala and ... here in Mexico,' Brown told the Sunday Observer in Mexico City.
'If we look at what the USA is doing, for instance in identifying talent four years in advance, of the under-17 level, I believe this is something we need to look at,' he said.
National youth co-ordinator, Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, Brown noted, will concentrate more in scouting as he seeks to identify talent at an early age.
'Walters will be spending more time going around the island into the crevices and corners to find the talent ... but we can't only look at identifying these talents, we have to develop them,' Brown said.
But in terms of perserverance and bravado, the Boyz scored high.
'What I saw in Guatemala made me very proud ... we stood and we fought ... I remember the last 17 minutes of that game against Guatemala how the players went out there and showed that it meant a lot to them,' Brown noted.
'They clearly wanted to do well and I don't think we can knock them for effort,' Brown added.
In the Group A qualifying tournament in Guatemala, the Young Boyz mounted a stunning fight-back against the hosts after trailing 0-2 to win the game, 3-2.
That spirit was also reproduced in their 1-1 draw against El Salvador who were leading, as the Young Boyz snatched an injury-time equaliser.
The lack of exposure, nutrition and the physical build of the players are also of concern to Brown.
'We need an overall development. We also need to build the physical aspects of the players,' he said. ' ... Once you don't eat properly, the development process is always going to be hampered,' he added.
And on the matter of exposure, Brown said, 'our players were way behind in terms of exposure in these qualifiers'.
At the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida, where the Young Boyz boarded for three practice matches against the USA in preparation for the Mexico tie, Brown found the perfect setting for youth football development and urged Jamaica to copy that model.
The facility offers boarding and academic studies to young sporting talent who are both sharpening their skills and hitting the books at the same time.
'You look at that structure (IMG Academies) and it's the ideal thing ... but we can do a fraction of it and I believe that would be much better than what we're doing now,' Brown went on.
'When you look at the struggle we have in sharing the players with the schools ... you see football and education clashing, and at the end of the day it's the players who get the worst part of it,' he added.
What will happen to the playing careers of the under-17 players now that the World Cup campaign is over?
'... There are players from this team that ... will make the grade into the Under-20 team as the experience they gained would serve them ... for the future,' Brown said.
'It is critical also that we keep tabs on them because a lot of money has been spent on their development, so a solid effort is needed to ensure their progress continues on the right path,' he ended.
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| Karl |
Posted - Oct 10 2003 : 08:43:37 AM
Siya
I think it appeared in concert with this May 4th site Blockbuster
Thursday, October 09, 2003, 10:43:53 PM
IP:199.183.233.150
JFF not seeking a replacement for coach Brown, says Burrell
published: Sunday | May 4, 2003
Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter
AMIDST STRONG rumours that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is seeking a foreign replacement for technical director Carl Brown, president Captain Horace Burrell told The Sunday Gleaner in a recent interview that this is not so.
For close to a month it has been reported that Burrell has been speaking to a trio of men including former technical director Rene Simoes, former Mexican coach Manuel Lapuente and Bora Milutinovic who has guided at least five teams at the World Cup finals.
'I will say at this time that I have not been talking to any one of those people with a view to replacing Carl because to date he has gotten fairly good results and is getting his job done,' Burrell told The Sunday Gleaner prior to Wednesday's 0-0 draw against South Africa in that country.
Pressed further about the men Burrell said: 'There is no need to do that at this time. We hope that he will continue and move from strength to strength. It is not true that we have been looking a replacement,' he said, giving his first definite answer.
SIMOES
On Simoes, the man who guided Jamaica to their historic World Cup qualification in France 1998, Burrell admitted that he had spoken to Simoes but not about him returning as an employee of the Federation.
'I have always spoken to Simoes,' Burrell said. 'We have always been in touch since he left. He is like a friend, we speak on a regular basis, the same way I speak with Clovis, and (Walter) Gama. Those people worked here and we still have a good relationship.'
Milutinonic, Burrell said, is a man he has always had friendly exchanges with since the time he coached Mexico and the last time he had a conversation with him was at last year's World Cup.
Brown, officially appointed technical director at the start of the year after acting in the job since the dismissal of Clovis de Oliveira, has had a hard time convincing local supporters that he is up to the job. This and talks from people who claim to be in the know have led people to believe that Brown could be on his way out.
As far as Burrell is concerned though, his position has not changed.
100 PERCENT
'As I have always said Carl Brown, who was recently appointed technical director, will get 100 per cent support from the JFF in assisting him to do the best he can and hence at this time we are concentrating our efforts on giving Carl all the assistance that he needs.
'I think I have been consistent with the position of the Federation in that the job of Technical director not only in Jamaica, but any country in the world, depends on performance. I made it quite clear at time of Mr. Brown's appointment that keeping the job would be based on performance and have been consistent and will continue to emphasise that point,' he continued.
Questioned about the belief that Brown was only given the job because there was not enough money to hire a foreigner, Burrell said:
'It is not true to say that it was because it was a lack of funds why we went for him. He spent a lot of time under overseas coaches and we felt he was ready.'
And as if to sound a warning to Brown, Burrell concluded by saying:
'One thing that we have to understand is that the Federation will not have to say he is not performing. We have a very vocal population and they will decide,' continued Burrell, before adding, 'What I will ask though is that we give him all support.'
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