| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Karl |
Posted - Jul 10 2006 : 1:13:48 PM
...to success
(FIFA.com) 12 Nov 1999
When most people think of Jamaica, beautiful beaches, warm temperatures, lush forests and friendly smiles inevitably come to mind. After all, the Caribbean island has always been a popular holiday destination for all of those reasons.
n the world of sports, however, Jamaica is best known for producing some of the finest track and field athletes on earth. In 1995 Jamaica added yet another feather to its cap of many achievements. It was named the "Best Mover" in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, symbolic of the year's most improved national football team.
There can be no doubt that the Jamaicans fully deserve such an award. They have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to excellence in all of their endeavours and now serve as a model to the other Caribbean nations.
"The improvement came as a result of work both on and off the field," said Courtney Sargeant, the well-respected Radio Jamaica Sports Coordinator/Producer, "President Burrell and the JFF (Jamaica Football Federation) staff work tirelessly to set up games for the road to France 98."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last year the Jamaican national team made a huge leap up the FIFA/Coca-Cola world ranking list and in December reached 56th place. This made them the fourth best Concacaf team, behind Mexico, USA and Honduras, and 40 places higher than they were a year earlier - a proud record for which the Jamaican association was honoured in Milan in January as "best mover of the year".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong leadership often leads to tangible results and Captain Horace Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, has been able to accomplish just that during his term in office. Burrell brings a business-like approach to the job. A quiet confidence now permeates the JFF, as it attempts to qualify its national team for the 1998 World Cup. Those characteristics have become delightfully infectious.
The public now attends matches at Kingston's National Stadium in record numbers, compelling the private sector to take note. Many companies have contributed in one way or another to the effort, wanting to be part of a winning team. An irresistible taste for victory has fostered a type of cooperation between football and business never before seen. Perhaps the most significant reason for Jamaica's arrival on the world scene was the hiring of Rene Simoes as the national coach in October 1994. The Brazilian arrived with a serious plan for success, which is already paying dividends.
"Simoes was an inspiration to local coaches and players," commented Sargeant, who is also a member of the CONCACAF Media Commission. "The players have started to believe in themselves and he has sold the game of football to the spectators." Thanks to Simoes, the way football is played at all levels has changed for the better. Not only has his influence touched the national team, but also the National Premier League.
The National Premier League is Jamaica's top circuit, consisting of 16 clubs. The teams are broken into two groups of eight, with the top four from each group advancing into a second stage of an elite group of eight and another group of the remaining teams.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Simoes has recommended to keep clubs from both groups ambitious is for the top three from the elite group to advance to the semifinals of the competition along with the winner of the other.
Through this formula the players, who participate in what amounts to a relegation group, stay interested and retain a competitive edge. They are actually playing towards an attainable goal. This helps to create a large player pool and promotes spirited rivalries among the league members.
The league's clubs come from Jamaica's 14 parishes. Some of the most widely followed ones include Reno from Westmoreland; Seba, Violet Kickers and Wadadah from St. James; and Boys Town, Arnett Gardens and Harbour View in Kingston. These clubs also help produce most of the hugely talented youngsters that are now appearing on the Jamaican footballing scene.
Wadadah has Onandi Lowe, a forward who combines size and speed into a powerful package, on its roster. His goal against St. Lucia during the 1995 Shell Caribbean Cup was struck with such force that it nearly separated the opposing goalkeeper from his hand. The now legendary blast brought the crowd thundering to its feet, surely emphasising the unlimited potential of a superstar in the making.
Walter Boyd, another skilful forward, spends his winters playing for the St. James-based club and summers with the Colorado Foxes of the American Professional Soccer League. He is arguably Jamaica's best player and possesses keen leadership qualities.
A tower of strength in the Jamaican defence: Waren Barrett, captain and record international.Warren Barrett, arguably the Caribbean's top goalkeeper, plays his club football for Violet Kickers. At only 25 years of age, he has been capped over 70 times. His greatest moments came during the 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup when he made some tremendous saves in leading Jamaica to a surprise third place finish.
Kevin Wilson, nicknamed "Pele"
Another player with a bright future is 19-year-old Kevin Wilson, a versatile attacking player. On 26 November he scored the equaliser in his international debut in Jamaica's stunning 1-1 draw against Norway. The Arnett Gardens product has earned him the nickname of "Pelé" because of his uncanny offensive abilities.
Sargeant believes that the development of the Olympic squad holds the key to continued international prosperity. With the World Cup starting, Jamaica's performance at the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Canada is important for 1996, he said. "If we qualify for Atlanta, football will boom here."
|
|
|
