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Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 27 2001 : 6:41:29 PM
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RODRIGO CALVO CASTRO is a sports journalist for the daily newspaper La Nación in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica's recent take-off to unprecedented heights of success is due to a sweeping change of attitude in 2001. Their senior team topped their group for the 2002 World Cup and also romped into the quarter-finals of the Copa America, while their under-20 and under-17 selections waltzed into the second round of their respective world championships.
Costa Rican superstar Paulo Wanchope celebrates qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ Photos: Reuters
osta Rica's progress over the past few decades, with appearances in two Olympic Games (1980 and 1984), five World Youth Championships (1989, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001), four Under-17s (1985, 1995, 1997 and 2001) and their brilliant performance in the World Cup (1990), has thrust the small Central American country into the limelight of international football. Now everyone is looking to the future with great anticipation. Considering that they have been playing football with unbridled passion for 125 years – ever since 1876 – and their association has been growing for 80 years (since 1921), these strong roots hold much promise for a rosy future.
At Italia 90, a group of ambitious players, all reliable, disciplined and highly motivated by a true psychologist and strategist, Bora Milutinovic, took a giant step that highlighted the quality of raw talent in their ranks by advancing to the second round of the competition in their debut on the world football stage.
It was then that Costa Rica developed a taste for how they could draw closer to an enviable goal on the international horizon . In an article in the technical report on Italia 90, FIFA asked the question "Does this hold promise for the future?", stressing the senior international team's orderliness, performance, ambition and technical skills.
But the management of the Costa Rica Football Association failed to make the most of the showcase opportunity. Indeed, players and technicians alike were eager to make their mark on the professional stage but the framework lacked unity. The administration continued to be their Achilles heel and Costa Rica missed out on a slot in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups as a result of the disorder in their organisation.
A change of spirit
After suffering so many setbacks, new management at the association under the leadership firstly of Alvar Pochet and then Hermes Navarro, set about applying the brakes to the wheels of frustration which were scraping away at football in this country of only 51,100 sq. km. and 4 million inhabitants. In 1990, they re-entered the stage, making a vivid impression on the other actors. Then, only a small minority knew of Costa Rica's exploits; now the whole world knows about them.
Costa Rica – and Hernán Medford (No. 17) – dismissed the challenge of most of their opponents.
Due to a profound change of spirit in the administration, the results have been hitting the headlines for the past two years, setting the seal on a major revival in football. Costa Rica has qualified with flying colours for all of the FIFA world championships for which it has enrolled: futsal in Guatemala in 2000, the under-20 in Argentina in 2001, the under-17 in Trinidad and Tobago in 2001 and the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, not to mention its last invitation to the Copa América in Colombia in 2001, ending up fifth after making it to the quarter-finals.
"Many mistakes were made after the World Cup in Italy and I have spent a lot of time and energy making sure we didn't repeat them," says 53-year-old Navarro, the current hlutionary work carried out by their technical manager, Alexandre Borges Guimaraes. Born 43 years ago in Maceio in the northeast of Brazil, he became a naturalised Costa Rican in 1984. He and his Costa Rican wife have two sons. Guimaraes first went to Costa Rica with his father, who as a medical doctor had been appointed by the Panamerica Health Organisation in 1971 to help eliminate malaria.
His love for football took root during his childhood in Brazil but it was in Costa Rica that it developed into a passion. There, Guimaraes played for four teams over a total of twelve seasons: Durpanel San Blas, Municipal Puntarenas, Deportivo Saprissa and Turrialba FC. He was national champion three times with Saprissa in 1982, 1988 and 1989 and totted up 95 goals in 377 official matches, in addition to making 16 appearances with the Costa Rican selection including three matches in the Italia 90 World Cup.
Ever since 1992, "Guima", as he is nicknamed locally, has been hoarding accolades as technical manager, primarily supervising the minor leagues, coach of the Under-21s and assistant to first-division Saprissa. Apart from Saprissa, he also managed Belén and Herediano Sports Club in the first division in Costa Rica as well as Comunicaciones in Guatemala. He led Saprissa twice to national championship honours.
During the early stages en route to the 2002 World Cup, Guimaraes acted as technical assistant to the Brazilian, Gilson Nunes. Then in December 2000, Guimaraes was appointed as Gilson's successor. As an avid reader, keen tennis and basketball player, a born observer, author of sports novels, publicity shy and intent on protecting his private life, Guimaraes is now flexing his muscles to take part in his second World Cup with Costa Rica since his triumphant appearance in Italia 90.
At the age of 43, Guimaraes took on a major challenge after replacing Nunes in December 2000 and acquitted himself with flying colours and a resounding 5-2 win over the Guatemalans – a tribute to the very offensive style of play. Under Guimaraes's guidance, the senior international team made sure of their ticket to the World Cup in the Far East early on by beating the USA 2-0 at home on 5 September 2001 with two match dates to go before the close of CONCACAF'S round-robin final. Their unforgettable adventure on the road to enlightenment was marked by five crushing wins in a row, including one on the holy ground of the Azteca stadium (2-1), signalling Mexico's first defeat ever on home soil in a qualifying round.
The togetherness demonstrated by the group had evolved from the maturity and fighting spirit shown by people who had suffered elimination in previous qualifiers in 1994 and 1998, as the veteran Hernán Medford admits at the age of 33 and after 79 caps (a record for his country): "We learned a lot from earlier qualifying rounds when we were knocked out. We realised that we could not possibly carry on stumbling from bad to worse. We all learned to grow up very quickly: the press, the fans and the administrators. When everyone pulls together, everything runs more smoothly. Our football has improved no end because we have skilful players. The administration is improving and we are now on the right track."
The senior team draws talent from local clubs like Alajuelense, Saprissa and Herediano, with "reinforcements" from leagues in England, Greece, Mexico and the USA. It includes goalkeeper Erick Lonis, midfielders Reynado Parks, Luis Marín and Gilberto Martínez; wingers Jervis Drummond and Carlos Castro; stopper Mauricio Solís, playmakers Rolando Fonseca and Wílmer López, strikers Paulo César Wanchope (Manchester City, England) and Rónald Gómez (OFI Crete, Greece).
Planning for the future
Costa Rica's recent progress in football is undisputable and one person who has played a major part in wielding the baton is another Costa Rican, Carlos Watson. At 50 years of age, he coordinates the association's programme for junior teams in the country and is now coaching the Olympic selection with a view to the 2004 Games in Athens, after inspiring the under-20 teams to advance to the second round in the World Youth Championships in Nigeria in 1999 and Argentina in 2001. Watson comments: "We have a group of managers who are making gigantic efforts to put an effective organisation in place. Contrary to what happened in the past, our resources are being used wisely, with Costa Ricans who have studied in Europe and have wide experience of training methods and are familiar with our way of life now managing the teams. The infrastructure has not yet reached perfection but when we get there, we'll deliver the goods and really hit home."
Even though the short-term plans are focused on aiming high in the 2002 World Cup, Costa Rica does not intend to rest on its laurels and is already forging specific plans for the future. President Navarro and the other members of the Executive Committee are doing everything possible to consolidate the various leagues in football, futsal and beach soccer, the twenty regions in amateur football and newly created regional teams for under-15s, all with a view to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
But that is not all. With the help of the treasurer, Jorge Rubinstein, the Costa Rica football association has drawn up an ambitious plan to apply for funds totalling USD 400,000 from FIFA's Goal Programme so as to build administrative offices and a sports centre with special facilities for top-flight sportsmen.
Costa Rica has made a pledge: they cannot sit back and twiddle their thumbs but must make sure that their new-found prowess remains a true reflection of the power of a small country – at least in size – bubbling with great goals.
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Copyright © 1994-2001 FIFA. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994-2001 En-Linea, Inc. All rights reserved.
Karl |
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Charmin
Starting Member
40 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2001 : 12:53:55 PM
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Good article. It is no wonder why they are moving briskly ahead, while we continue to labour behind.
"Costa Rica recent take-off to unprecedented heights of succcess is due to a sweeping change of attitude in 2001."
The leaders of the JFF need to change their attitude if their wish is to see soccer at all levels in Jamaica maximize it's full potential...The best way I see them doing this is by better communicating with the supporters. Surely there are other areas, but that would be a start.
"...the management of Costa Rica Football Association failed to make the most of the showcase opportunity. Indeed, players and technicians alike were eager to make their mark on the professional stage but the framework lacked unity. The administration continued to be their Achilles heel and Costa Rica missed out on a slot in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups as a result of the disorder in their organisation."
Does this sound familiar? My only hope is that we take a shorter time than Costa Rica did, to solve our problem.
"A Change of spirit"
Unfortunately I don't forsee much changes in the way the JFF goes about it's business affairs. Sadly, I think it will be business asusal, to the detriment of our programme.
I don't mean to cast doom and gloom. But I think the leaders of the JFF may have become satisfied with what they have accomplished so far, and they should be commended on a job well done. But their is still a lot of work to be done, work that I am not so sure that Burrell and company are pushing hard enough to put in place or accomplish.
"Many mistakes were made after the World Cup in Italy and I have spent a lot of time and energy making sure we didn't repeat them...We cut out all the excuses and concentrated on what we should have beee focusing--ON THE PLAYERS AND THE TECHNICAL GROUPS."
Did you read that? Again, "We cut out all the excuses..." "...we should have been focusing--on the PLAYERS AND THE TECHNICAL GROUPS." Enough said.
I hope you got the part about the main rules for transforming the pattern of thinking within the team and association.
A know you did, but allow me the honour, please: "The whole country -- the press, the fans, officials and footballers -- had to undergo the same process of rethinking as someone with clear-cut ideals."
Boss, this is why communication is so important. The entire country must be viewed like a classroom filled with students. The JFF are the teachers, and being the teachers, they need to educate us all instead of believing that the less we no the better off we are.
At least that is my impression of them. They do not share with their supporters.
Also, notice that it was a continuous plan from one coach/offical to the next. Therefore, we need not change what we had started under Rene Simoes...The philosophy that is.
"We all learned to grow up very quickly: the press, the fans and the administrators. When everyone pulls together, everything runs more smoothly."
Words of wisdom star. All Jamaicans from all walks of life, including the leaders of our society and country, must realize that unity is strenght, and inorder to grow, prosper and remain viable we must find common grounds on which we can build our foundations inorder to stop the madness that plagues not only the JFF but so many of our institutions.
Now, this is the area in which we lag behind most of Concacaf in...Club football and facility.
Notice the article stated that Costa Rica draws talent from the local clubs, something that we still struggle to do.
Meck mi clarify: I am not talking about raw talent, but players that are technically ready for the bigger stages of football.
I hope you didn't miss this part, which indicates the improtance of our players that are plying their trade overseas;
"...Costa Ricans who have studied in Europe and have wide experience or training methods and are familiar with our way of life now managing the teams."
Notice also that they are already planning for the future by attending to their various leagues and youth competitions, "with the view to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups."
Notice they also have a plan in place to apply for funds from FiFa to care of business.
I don't know if the JFF ever did this, but these are things that we the fans should know about. We should not have to call every Tom, Dick and Harry for information at all. It should be readily available to us on the JFF website.
Good work Costa Rica, and good luck.
Respect and irie ites!
Charmin
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Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2001 : 6:52:05 PM
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quote:
"Costa Rica recent take-off to unprecedented heights of succcess is due to a sweeping change of attitude in 2001."
The leaders of the JFF need to change their attitude if their wish is to see soccer at all levels in Jamaica maximize it's full potential...The best way I see them doing this is by better communicating with the supporters. Surely there are other areas, but that would be a start.
.....The administration continued to be their Achilles heel and Costa Rica missed out on a slot in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups as a result of the disorder in their organisation."
Does this sound familiar? My only hope is that we take a shorter time than Costa Rica did, to solve our problem.
"A Change of spirit"
... But their is still a lot of work to be done, work that I am not so sure that Burrell and company are pushing hard enough to put in place or accomplish.
"Many mistakes were made after the World Cup in 'France' and a lot of time and energy should have been spent making sure they did not happen...We must cut out all the excuses and concentrate on what we should have been focusing--ON THE PLAYERS AND THE TECHNICAL GROUPS." (Forgive the paraphrasing!)
Did you read that? Again, "We cut out all the excuses..." "...we should have been focusing--on the PLAYERS AND THE TECHNICAL GROUPS." Enough said.
I hope you got the part about the main rules for transforming the pattern of thinking within the team and association.
A know you did, but allow me the honour, please: "The whole country -- the press, the fans, officials and footballers -- had to undergo the same process of rethinking as someone with clear-cut ideals."
Boss, this is why communication is so important. The entire country must be viewed like a classroom filled with students. The JFF are the teachers, and being the teachers, they need to educate us all instead of believing that the less we no the better off we are.
Also, notice that it was a continuous plan from one coach/offical to the next. Therefore, we need not change what we had started under Rene Simoes...The philosophy that is.
"We all learned to grow up very quickly: the press, the fans and the administrators. When everyone pulls together, everything runs more smoothly."
Words of wisdom star. All Jamaicans from all walks of life, including the leaders of our society and country, must realize that unity is strength, and in order to grow, prosper and remain viable we must find common grounds on which we can build our foundations in order to stop the madness that plagues not only the JFF but so many of our institutions.
Now, this is the area in which we lag behind most of Concacaf in...Club football and facility.
Notice the article stated that Costa Rica draws talent from the local clubs, something that we still struggle to do.
Meck mi clarify: I am not talking about raw talent, but players that are technically ready for the bigger stages of football.
I hope you didn't miss this part, which indicates the improtance of our players that are plying their trade overseas;
"...Costa Ricans who have studied in Europe and have wide experience or training methods and are familiar with our way of life now managing the teams."
Notice also that they are already planning for the future by attending to their various leagues and youth competitions, "with the view to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups."
Notice they also have a plan in place to apply for funds from FiFa to care of business.
I don't know if the JFF ever did this, but these are things that we the fans should know about. We should not have to call every Tom, Dick and Harry for information at all. It should be readily available to us on the JFF website.
Good work Costa Rica, and good luck.
Respect and irie ites!
Charmin
Forgive the changes here and there! That is putting JFF 'right in the middle'.
Charmin: You're so right! Communication means transparency... I would say as 'teachers',...Yes! But, also to build and hold our (the sponsors, the fanz and workers within the industry) enthusiastic support.
Karl |
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Tillamawnin
Moderator
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2001 : 10:17:24 PM
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Good post Charmin. One really wonders if the JFF is seeing what is going on around us? Success at the international level will require careful planning. As you so rightly said, the need to keep us fans informed as to what is going on, as without fans, the team is nothing.
Tilla
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Live simply so that others may simply live.
Mohandas K. Gandhi |
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