|
Karl
Senior Member
USA
914 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 16 2003 : 2:57:42 PM
|
Boyz to tackle China
Observer Reporter
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are set to take on China in a friendly international in that country on February 18, new Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Crenston Boxhill, told journalists yesterday.
"I have in my possession a letter from the Chinese Football Federation inviting us ...," Boxhill said at what was his first press conference since taking over the leadership of the nation's football from Captain Horace Burrell at a congress on November 23.
Boxhill said the game against China, as well as others being tentatively proposed against Colombia here and possibly CONCACAF powers, Mexico and the United States, were part of Jamaica's preparation for World Cup qualifiers which begin in June.
He noted that the China game is set for a "FIFA-sanctioned date". This should mean Jamaica's overseas professionals will be available to technical director, Carl Brown. The JFF would seek to make sure the national team is kept busy on such dates, Boxhill said.
Games were also being planned for the under-23 team which is bidding to qualify for the Olympics, as well as the women's team, he said.
On January 18, a double-header had been scheduled - subject to "dotting the i's and crossing the t's" - for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, involving the national women's team facing their Haitian counterparts and the U-23 Olympic squad facing the St Vincent Olympic squad. The under-23s are preparing for final round CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers set for Mexico in February.
Boxhill said he and Brown are due in Fort Lauderdale today with a view to arranging a practice game for the Olympic team against Canada, which has set up camp there in preparation for the final round Olympic qualifiers.
The new president, who recently returned from Germany where he witnessed the World Cup qualifying draw, said he had made"important contacts" and could assure the nation that 2004 will be "busy, busy time for Jamaica and Jamaican football ...".
As part of the effort to prepare national teams, Boxhill said he had asked Brown and his coaching staff to "establish a one-year plan".The aim, he suggested, would be to identify what would be needed for "the next 12 months".
And Boxhill, who vowed in his election campaign to run an administration based on accountability and transparency, said advertising of the general secretary's post "will run until next Friday".
To ensure total credibility, the auditing and management consultancy, Peat Marwick, had been asked to "interview applicants and to select the top three". Thereafter, he said, "I will put a team together to select from that top three".
Former general secretary, Horace Reid, resigned following last month's congress.
As part of its mandate, the new administration had proposed three new committees: a youth development committee, an infrastructure committee dedicated to the development of football facilities and a committee for the development of women's football, Boxhill said. These will have to be ratified by the JFF board.
Boxhill said he was confident his drive to return "harmony" to the football "camp" following the divisive build-up to the November 23 congress was on track. |
Karl |
|
Boyz to tackle China
