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Screensize: 640 x 480 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 UserName: Password: Format Mode: Basic  Help  Prompt  Format: Font Andale Mono Arial Arial Black Book Antiqua Century Gothic Comic Sans MS Courier New Georgia Impact Lucida Console Script MT Bold Stencil Tahoma Times New Roman Trebuchet MS Verdana   Size 1 2 3 4 5 6   Color Black Red Yellow Pink Green Orange Purple Blue Beige Brown Teal Navy Maroon LimeGreen Message: * HTML is OFF * Forum Code is ON Smilies [quote][i]Originally posted by Tillamawnin[/i] [br]Interview was on TVJ's weekly sports program with Patrick Anderson the interviewer. Enjoy! Hear John Barnes' view on Carl Brown in next excerpt. [b]How much pressure or expectations did that goal in Maracana put on you?[/b] Well, it put a lot of expectation on me. It was an unrealistic expectation because, I suppose, not just myself, but if anybody scores a goal of that quality, people expect you to do it week in week out. It’s not realistic. And it happened at such a young age. I was 19, at the beginning of my international career and although I went on to play 79 times for England - I played for England for 13 years - the majority of the performances after that, the newspaper headlines the next day was like, well, you didn’t score a goal like you did against Brazil. So, therefore, it was quite a high benchmark to set, which you’d never achieve ever again. But, nevertheless, I have played for England 79 times for 13 years and two World Cups, so, overall, I am satisfied with my international career. [b]Would that be the highlight of your career, that goal against Brazil?[/b] Well, from an individual standpoint, yes, but then again that was an international friendly and we didn’t win anything. We didn’t win a World Cup, we didn’t win a trophy. But from an individual point of view of wanting to score goals, yes, but I would say winning the FA Cup or winning the league is much more of an achievement because that is tangible, you actually win something. There, you win nothing but people saying, it was a good goal. [b]What is John Barnes doing now?[/b] I am working with Channel 5 - very similar to you - I am presenting football on Channel 5 in England. We present the UEFA Cup and the CIS Cup and there is also the John Barnes Football Night which I do one night a week. So, I am doing television presenting. But I would like to get back into management and hopefully in the future that’s what I would do. [b]How difficult is it to get back, a player of your stature? You have had a stint outside of England, well, within the UK, in Scotland with Celtic. Reflect on that and why it is so difficult to get back into a managerial role.[/b] Well, when I went to Celtic, Rangers was the dominant side and to be honest, the only reason why Celtic could have competed was the fact that they had a player, that some of you may know, called Henrik Larsson, who was a fantastic goalscorer. Rangers was the bigger club, they had more money. They weren’t the bigger club. They were both equally big, but Rangers were spending more money at the time. They were the dominant side but we were competing with them until Christmas and then Henrik Larsson broke his leg. And once he broke his leg, then we couldn’t compete. So, therefore, we finished second, which is failure, if you finish second. So, I lost my job. Getting back is proving difficult because what’s happening now, not just in England, but I suppose all over, is that people want experienced managers. So, it’s a bit of a Catch 22 situation – how do you get the experience if you are not in, but you are not going to get in without the experience. So, a lot of young managers are finding it difficult to get in. But all you can do is keep persevering and hopefully something will come up in the not too distant future. [b]Have you received any calls, any offers? Have you turned any down?[/b] No! You don’t turn down offers. You know, once upon a time, as a manager, you wait for the right one to come along, and you have offers, and you weigh them up. But these days, if you get an opportunity to manage anywhere in England, you take it, at any level. Because, the situation is, there are more out of work managers than there are clubs. Therefore, whenever there is an opportunity, you have experienced managers, proven managers who will always be offered the job before you. So, I haven’t received any offers yet, but, fingers crossed. [b]The state of English football at the moment, your assessment.[/b] Well, I know that you are an England fan, and not many people might know this but I am going to out you on television, but if England plays Brazil today, I know you want England to win! I hope you can drive safely through the streets, which I am not sure you can after that statement, but nevertheless. English football, in terms of club football, is very strong, probably the strongest and the most attractive in the world, and it has to do with the money. [b]What about those who will take issue with you and say in Italy, Spain,…[/b] Well, if you ask any of the Italian player - and I hear Ronaldo wants to play in England - the simple fact is, that’s where they pay the most money. Italy was 10 years ago, because that’s where they paid the most money. So, as much as players would say that, “I’ve always wanted to play in the Italian league, I’ve always wanted to play in the Spanish League,” I bet you never thought you’d hear the day when a Brazilian or Italian or Spanish player say that, “I want to play in the English League.” But that’s what happening now, because the Premier League, now with the Sky Money coming, is paying the most money. So, therefore, a lot of the players want to come to England. So, the state of English football, when you’ve got Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, with all the money they’ve got available, is a very attractive proposition to the best players in the world. Now, as far as the national team goes, that isn’t necessarily good for the national team, because all the top teams have got foreign players. So, unless you have the local players, the English players playing in these top teams, playing against top European opposition week in week out, in the European Cups, the English national team will suffer. Now, they’re still young enough, the Michael Owens, the Steven Gerrards, the Wayne Rooneys, so they are still young enough for England to not suffer too harshly as they have done in Scotland. Maybe in the next 8, 9 or 10 years. But after that, I think the English team would possibly suffer. [b]But that’s a conflict that will not be resolved any time soon in terms of the influx of international players playing at the club level.[/b] It isn’t, but what’s happening now is the importance of club football is taking over from the importance of international football. Brazil is a point in case where it’s completely different, because the Brazilian national team is the most important thing in Brazil, to all the Brazilian people, to all the Brazilian players, regardless of whether they play in Europe – all the Brazilian players play in Europe – but when Brazil plays a friendly in…Afghanistan, all the Brazilian players are going to go, because to play for Brazil is the most important thing and the Brazilian clubs can’t stop them from going, because there is a conflict between club football and international football. Now, it’s different in England because the fans care more about their clubs than they do for their national teams. [b]And this explains why we are getting word, for example, from Cardiff and other clubs, Charlton Athletic, where we have Kevin Lisbie - Richard Langley with Cardiff – we are getting word that these clubs will be refusing to release them for friendlies and only for FIFA-set dates for World Cup matches.[/b] Well, I think, and I am not an administrator, but in this day and age, we should be able to come up with a football calendar which suits the whole world. We’re talking about people moving about from country to country. We’re in an age now whereby technology is really taking over. So, I can’t see why we can’t standardize the football in Canada (?) to have the South American championships the same time as the European championships. So, rather than having the African Nations in a time when a lot of the African players have to leave their clubs for 2 months in January, which is very crucial, I don’t see why they can’t come up with it. But, as I said, I am not an administrator, but that is what has to be done. You have to standardize the football in Canada or a lot of the smaller countries are going to suffer because, while European teams can demand their players to come and play for them, the South American teams, and particularly the West Indian teams won’t have that much power to get the players to come and play for them because the players will always choose their club over their countries. [b]What is Greece’s victory in Euro 2004 saying about soccer, not only in Europe, but the impact on world football?[/b] Well, I was very pleased. I didn’t particularly like the way how Greece played, but in terms of a country like Greece winning the European Championships, the situation of Porto and Monaco getting to the finals of the Champions League, really is a wakeup call to everybody, really - clubs, fans, players - in that, the focus shouldn’t be on individual superstars like Ronaldo, Raul, Figo, Zidane, Beckham. It should be on teamwork, understanding the focus being the team being the main star. And if you look at Greece, they had no stars, but they won. So, when you look at Real Madrid who have 5 galacticos but they won nothing and you look at a team like Monaco or Porto who were in the Champions League final, without a team of stars, that should really be a wakeup call to people to say, let’s stop focusing on individuals. Let’s focus on the way the team plays because once you have too many egos on a team of superstars, then, not to say they are not great players, nevertheless, I don’t feel that is the right ingredient for success. So, I’m very pleased that a team like Greece – and I was not a fan of the way they played – but I think people have to look at that and they have to say, this is the way forward for teams. Let’s get away from this idolizing of individuals to the detriment of the team. [b]The state of Jamaica’s football.[/b] I think Jamaica’s football is very healthy. I think it’s healthier than in 98 although they didn’t qualify for the last World Cup, but I think the development, if you look at the players who are now being given the opportunities abroad in professional football. I was at a competition here, the John Barnes Respect Cup out in May Pen, where you have Under-21 teams playing and the organization that goes into youth football and youth development is very healthy. Now, because they didn’t qualify for the World Cup, people may feel that’s a step back for Jamaica in terms of development, but… [b]Do you agree with that?[/b] Not at all! The problem is that the emergence, or the re-emergence, should I say, of the Central American countries – the El Salvadors, the Costa Ricas, the Panamanian teams – these teams have now improved. So, once upon a time, I suppose Jamaica would be the third best team in the region behind Mexico and the USA. Now, and also traditionally, historically, the Central American teams have been stronger than Jamaica. But Jamaica obviously then overtook them. But now the Costa Ricans and the Hondurans, particularly the Costa Ricans, are now addressing the imbalance, so it’s harder for Jamaica to qualify because the competition is greater. But, just in terms of the quality and the development and the move forward for football in Jamaica, it’s definitely going in the right direction. [b]School of thought, though, that Jamaica going in the right direction, but most of the players on the Reggae Boyz, the national senior team, are players from England. So, people are concerned about the development and use of players who play in our Premier League. What do you say about that?[/b] Well, the situation is a bit different to in England. We mentioned the foreign players coming into England, but the situation is that you can make a living playing football in England for Liverpool, Manchester United and in the 2nd and 3rd Divisions. The reality of it is that any of the players who play here who are any good, to make a living in football and for them to develop, they have to go abroad, you know. So, okay, I know what you are saying. You would like to develop the players here, keep them here playing for the local clubs and then for the national team. That is an unrealistic view, because for them as people, for them as footballers, they really have to… [b]Well, what I’m saying is that there seems to be a sort of resentment here that there are players here who are thought to be good who are missing out because the players from England are brought in to play for the Reggae Boyz.[/b] Well, I don’t know the local players that well to say that somebody should be playing instead of Jason Euell…?! [b]You are going to comment then?[/b] Well, not really, but, is any one here better than Jason Euell who should be playing instead of him, or Kevin Lisbie, or when Deon Burton came over? The fact is that the players are being given an opportunity to come and play and that helps Jamaica. They bring a certain level of professionalism to the game so, of course it would be wonderful for the local players also, but the local players will benefit from these professional players coming over here. And after all…are they all not Jamaican? Maybe their parents are Jamaican, or they were born in Jamaica and went there when they were young. But, nevertheless, they are playing for Jamaica and they are trying as hard as they can for Jamaica. So, I wouldn’t like to see the local players suffer because of it, but, nevertheless, if the local players are good enough, I’m sure that the manager, Carl Brown or whoever else, wouldn’t not play the Jamaican players because they are local. If they are good enough, they will get in. [b]Sebastiao Lazaroni, or some overseas coach, is being sought after by the JFF. Carl has qualified the team to the semifinal round in the World Cup qualification in the CONCACAF zone. What are your thoughts on this? Carl Brown has not yet failed. Looks as though we are getting into this President Bush “pre-emptive strike”. He may fail, so let’s…We understand also that he has asked for help, but the thought is whoever comes in - it’s said to be Lazaroni – would take over. What are your thoughts on using (an) overseas coach? You have it in England with Sven Goran Eriksson, the German coach in Greece, Scolari in Portugal. Talk to me about that and the Jamaican situation.[/b] It’s not important what coach you use, be he local or overseas. You need good coaches. So, the fact is there are a lot of good coaches overseas; there are a lot of good coaches at home. I like Carl Brown. I like Carl Brown and I think the country should get behind him. Carl has been a loyal servant to Jamaica. Carl has the knowledge, the experience and the quality to… [b]Some say he does not.[/b] Well, he has now qualified them for the next stage, so why is he not? [b]And some say at that stage we need to get someone else who is better equipped.[/b] How do we know what’s going to happen in the future? Was Lazaroni not here before? [b]Yes.[/b] And what happened when he was here? So, we have to be very careful because I suppose, in many respects, England is very similar. They have a bit of an inferiority complex. We don’t believe that one of our own can actually do the job, so some people are saying. Based on what? Until it actually happens, as you said, a pre-emptive strike, we think we are not going to do it. But, you know, if people get behind him and people support him, then we have more of a chance of doing it, than if people question. So, all the questions are being asked now. If he is given the opportunity and he doesn’t do it, people will say, I told you he wouldn’t do it. But the negative situation around the next phase, based on whether Carl is here or not, is not good. It’s completely undermining. So, therefore, people are waiting for him not to do it, rather than be much more positive and say, I believe that Carl can do it. And I do believe that Carl can do it because I believe in the players, and if you look at how…Who could believe that Greece would do what they did? If they have the self belief in themselves, in each other and the manager, be it Otto Rehhagel or anyone else, you can achieve, but the problem is that, do we have that self-belief, or do we have the belief in Carl? [b]Is there some psyche among a country, among a Jamaican – again there is a Swedish coach in charge of the English program, we have Carl Brown, we’re talking about an overseas coach, whoever that may be – is there some impact in the psyche when a coach other than someone of your own nation takes over? Is there something with that?[/b] I think it’s a slight inferiority complex. It’s a little bit like…you go to school and you are an 11 year old boy, and then all of a sudden, you see your school friend who you went to school with who you knew as a little…, you know, stupid boy who sat beside you in class become a superstar. You’re gonna think, well, no, I know that boy from when he was little. He can’t be the superstar that he is. But you can look at anyone, you can look at Sven Goran Eriksson, you could look at Zinedine Zidane. They were somebody’s schoolmates who sat down beside them, who was just an ordinary person. But we don’t believe we can know anyone who could be someone special. So, that’s what happens. So, therefore, we look at Carl and we assume that Carl is from one of us, he was brought up around here, he use to coach Boys Town, so therefore Carl cannot be the next Mario Zagallo. But, why not? Because Mario Zagallo was somebody’s friend once who probably looked at Mario Zagallo and thought that, well, he’s just a normal person. So, we have to have belief in…and what we do is, we put limitations on other people because we have limitations on ourselves. [b]Okay. You are not saying that there is an inferiority complex in England with the overseas coach?[/b] In many respects, it could be a subconscious inferiority complex. Definitely. I know you are an England fan and it seems to me in England, that England would always be doing very well and feel that they can actually achieve, and when they get into the quarterfinals or the semifinals, do they actually have that belief? When they went 1 nil against Brazil and Brazil went down to ten men, did they have that belief? And it’s quite easy to go out to Brazil in the quarterfinals and say, well, you know, we really should have won. And they are quite happy for that to happen. Do they have that real self-belief that we can actually go and beat Brazil and not many people have against Brazil, but nevertheless, I think that they probably do have it in England as well. [b]Let me get back a bit to your career now John. Do you feel you were marginalized when you played for England? Thirteen years, seventy-nine caps. I mean, sometimes I look at tapes and you are there out on the left wing, dangerous as you were, and you wouldn’t get the ball. Did you ever have a feeling that you were marginalized?[/b] Not necessarily by the players on the team. By the structure and the culture of English football in the 80’s, whereby it was all about hard work and effort, and commitment. It wasn’t about technique. So, therefore, now football has evolved in England, particularly, whereby a lot of the technical players are getting the respect and the support they deserve. So, I just have to look at Chris Waddle and Glen Hoddle, to of the technical players, and see the problems they had playing in the England team, whereby the ethos and the focus was on effort and commitment, not the technical aspect of it. So, I think that the technical player would struggle in an England team as they had done in the 80’s. So, I didn’t take it personally. I just realized that this is the way English football is. Now, of course, it’s changed and, therefore, I think that I, as would Glen Hoddle, would probably be suited more to football now in England, which has become much more technical, since the foreign players and the foreign coaches have come in. But at that particular time, the focus wasn’t really on technical ability of the team. [b]Okay. Let’s just relax a little bit now, John. It’s a quick turnaround because you’re coming all the way from London. A good weekend at the Respect Cup in your honour?[/b] Yes, it was. It was fantastic! We saw some good players, it was well organized and the boys, particularly, regardless of the quality, they played with the right commitment, the right organization, the right passion. Very aggressive as we know that Jamaican teams are, but nevertheless, they didn’t overstep the boundary, which has let Jamaica down in the past, but that is why I have hope for the future, because the players, as much as the quality they always have had – Jamaican players have always had quality – but now they have a new, and I will call it, professionalism. Although they may not be getting paid, they have a very professional attitude towards football now. [b]Now, you have been zipping around a lot over the last month or so – from DC to London, to Jordan back to London, from Italy back to London, and now here in Jamaica, you’re heading back to London this week. What is all that about?[/b] Well, at the end of the season - because I work in television during the season and working all the time - at the end of the season, there is a lot of time and, of course, that is holiday time for most people, but that is a time that I then use because I was coaching youngsters in Jordan, I was coaching in America, just for a week, and I’ve come out here for the Respect Cup. So this is a time which is not really a holiday time for me to go then do other things, because I still want to coach in football. So, that’s when you are invited at the end of the season to go to these places. I’m going to Indonesia next – Djakarta – next week. So, this is a time whereby I am flying all over the world. So, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. My time clock is a bit messed up. [b]John Barnes, thank you very much. Always a pleasure. Good luck and looking forward to seeing you back in Jamaica pretty soon.[/b] Thank you. 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