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Friday, June 10, 2005
Prior to the Gold Cup competition, RBSC's reporter Mosiah Marshall sat with current Reggae Boyz head coach Wendell Downswell for a one-on-one talk.
WD: I remember my primary school days at Sav. Primary with Mr. Wanliss. He used to carry us out to play Mannings first form. I use to look forward to those little outings. Back then it was no organized thing.
MM: Yes, but just playing is a good thing though, it’s an exposure to the game
WD: Yes, you develop the passion, and out of that came the real deal. Those days you play yuh cricket same way. It was a season thing so you do you likkle track and field when the running come around, but football was an integral part. The participation level for football, you just need one little football. Those days you play without boots or proper shorts. From yuh get yuh likkle one ball yuh know that go a long way.
MM: Yuh know how much stress yuh used to give Munro in the daCosta Cup.
(He laughs heartily, like him get joke.)
MM: Anyway, Wendell, are you the interim coach of the Reggae Boyz?
WD: No, I’m the head coach.
MM: Do you have your bags packed and ready for what may happen if we fail at the Gold Cup?
WD: Well, that goes with the job, y’know. Anything is possible when you take up a job like this that is performance-oriented.
MM: What are your expectations for the Gold Cup?
WD: Our preparations have not been the best of preparations. Since the Digicel we have played only two games. We were looking at about 5 games, but we’ve only gotten 2. The game against Trinidad would have been an excellent fillip. It was a good platform to see where we are. The fact is we will be playing against one of the top rated teams in the competition, in our zone in Mexico. It is a much improved Trinidad team, so that would have been an excellent measuring stick. In addition to that, we have some players who are somewhat…I wouldn’t say marginal, but players we would like to look at. As you know there a number of the players out there, more experienced players are out there, the likes of Fuller and others to see how well those players will gel with the present crop of players who won the Digicel Cup. You know, you might have players in terms of name, but the whole chemistry – that is important. You may have a squad of quality players on paper, but as a team…One of the saving graces here now is the fact that a high percentage of the players are actively in the semifinals of the Premier League. That should keep them in good stead in terms of their physical and technical capacity. The only drawback as I mentioned earlier on is the whole chemistry of the team, how they gel. But they are professionals. They had a good tournament in the Digicel Cup, so it’s just to see how well these players coming in now can complement the Digicel Cup players.
The All-Star game will be of the utmost importance because that will be our final game before the Gold Cup. As you know, the Premier League takes precedence due to the fact that we have a set time to finish. And also the clubs, during the early part of the Digicel Cup, they were so cooperative in releasing players. A number of games were postponed and as a result of that the Premier League has been stretched out. We must commend the clubs for the level of cooperation they have shown. It’s sort of difficult to take them away from their clubs nowadays at a very crucial time of the competition. That is one of the main reasons as to why that has taken precedence over the Gold Cup. So, with the limited time that we have now, that game will play an integral part of our preparation.
The sessions that we have will have to be tactically oriented, in terms of team structure and togetherness, to get that team chemistry. We won’t have time to work with players individually. We have to look at some group work and see how we can integrate that into the whole team structure. The technical staff is aware of that and we are looking into seeing how best we can use the limited time that we have to get the team ready.
We think we have a realistic chance of going through to the next round. Beyond that we will see it as a bonus. We’ve had good results against Guatemala. We’ve played South Africa on 2 occasions, drew 2-2 and 1-1. Mexico, y’know, the superpower in the region, so we have a tough assignment with them. Mexico, outside of the Azteca…I think once we can get ourselves off to a good start, that would put us in good stead and we will take it from there.
MM: There have been some notable absentees from the squad, people like Tappa (Theodore) Whitmore and Pepe (Ian) Goodison. Are they…
WD: They won’t be considered for the Gold Cup. As you know, the Federation has taken a new path in terms of development. What we’re looking at now is 2010, so therefore we are not looking at molding a squad. We have some experienced players, taking into consideration the age factor. We can’t keep these players over an extended period to the detriment of the program. We have to make a decision perhaps not the most popular decision, but in terms of the way forward, we have to look at that. While they were young they got the opportunity, so therefore, these youngsters at the tender age, they need to get the opportunity too, so that our football can carry on in some effective way.
MM: Yes, but obviously we are using some older players for their experience to kinda help the younger ones along.
WD: Yes, that has been very good.
MM: So, don’t you think…
WD: What we have there, those in the Digicel Cup, the likes of Marshall, Andy Williams and others, they have played a very crucial role in terms of the whole transition of the players. Now we have the likes of Claude Davis, Donovan Ricketts, Jermaine Johnson, Ricardo Fuller – what they bring to the table is that high level of professionalism. Once you can get that level of professionalism, especially for the locally-based players, get them in that frame of mind, I think it lends itself to rapid growth and development of these plkayers and our football in general.
MM: What about Shavar Thomas, is he going to probably figure in your plans soon?
WD: Well, Shavar…let me say…Shavar was left out of the squad. People keeping on about “Shavar, Shavar”. I brought Shavar back in the squad and for some reason he just walked out of the squad, and there is no room for that. And it doesn’t matter whether you are young or...or your status. The national program is of utmost importance and common decency or whatever...you know – “Coach, I don’t think I can be a part of this.” But once you walk out, that means, you’ve done what you’ve done. That’s it!.
MM: Which brings to mind the (recent) Jermaine Hue issue.
WD: Yeah, at the national level, we are not going to tolerate it. It doesn’t matter who the player may be. We have rules and regulations and they will have to be guided by the rules and regulations and the national players must lead from the front. And just as I said it to the clubs and I will say it openly, if the national players are not cooperative at their clubs and not setting the example and displaying the professionalism, they won’t be a part of the national unit. Once they get to this level they must see themselves as leaders. They must be the role models in their respective clubs. The coaches and the administrators - because they have gotten the experience and the exposure - that when they display the kind of delinquent behaviour, and they are being called back into the national unit, what can the club do? So they will have to understand that they must see themselves as players who will work to totally enhance the football in general, and that starts at the club, because the club, really and truly, is the most important ingredient right now. So these players, outside of the national program, which we probably have them for 25 or 30% of the time, the other 75% of the time is spent at their clubs and the clubs are the ones that build them. So therefore, they must show that level of respect to the relevant authorities and see their clubs as the ones who are enhancing their future development, and they can play a significant role in terms of that.
MM: Some are saying you are driving a wedge between the UK-born players, like Marlon King, (Richard) Langley, (Jason) Euell, whomever, and the local players. Is there a particular reason why none of them were selected for the Gold Cup?
WD: Euell was selected. He was originally a part of it, but you know he had some contractual issues with his club. As a coach we look to see who can complement the players. I haven’t shut the door on them. As I said, we are going through a process, we look at what we have achieved thus far with the locally-based players and the sort of direction that we are going, and I think we have been doing relatively well.
MM: You are on a winning run right now. Is it 12 games without defeat? Is it a reflection of the quality of the team, or are you just capitalizing on the CONCACAF minnows?
To be continued