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Missing captain Jermaine Taylor would have been a liability, says Downswell
Paul Reid
Saturday, October 13, 2007
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Central defender Jermaine Taylor, who captained the Jamaican Olympic team at the start of the first round of the Olympic Qualifying in Aruba, is a noticeable absentee at the second round here in Port-Au-Prince.
TAYLOR.physical condition was not where the coaching staff wanted it to be
The Harbour View player is widely regarded as one of the top players in the country and was expected to take his place in the team as they try to qualify for the third and final stage.
When questioned as to the player's absence, coach Wendell Downswell told Sporting World yesterday that Taylor's and Waterhouse's Mario Harrison's physical condition was not where the coaching staff wanted it to be and thus they were not chosen for this tour.
Downswell said the players had not done enough to maintain their fitness levels and as such they would be a liability if they were taken on tour and were not able to perform as had happened in their recent tournaments.
"Their conditions are suspect," Downswell explained. Taylor, he said, had been taken on "several tours, three tours now and he broke down. We can only take 18 players and when we looked at him and Mario, we were not satisfied with their (physical) conditioning, as it relates to the team and that is the main reason."
There has been talk in some circles about Taylor's attitude on the recent tour to Aruba, but Downswell dismissed it. "I wouldn't say that was a major concern, it is just the conditioning. He did not play on the Asia tour and he broke down in training when we had them in Jamaica, after we played Harbour View (in a practice match)."
Taylor did play the first game against Indonesia on the gruelling four-nation tour of Asia in late June through to early July, but injury forced him out of the remaining three games against Vietnam, Malaysia and Iran.
Downswell said they got just "30 minutes out of him" in Aruba, adding that "we brought on Mario for 30 minutes (in Aruba), but it was a disaster in terms of their physical conditioning".
When asked if the clubs were to be blamed for the players' lack of conditioning, the coach said not so. "We can't blame clubs, players must learn that when they are in the national programme they have a responsibility to keep themselves in good physical condition.
"Look at the national programme, how many times we have them each year? And if they form an integral part of the programme it is their responsibility that they are in good physical condition at all times," he added.
However, having cited Taylor's physical conditioning as the main reason for his absence from this team, it remains a mystery why the Harbour View Football Club was approached by the JFF to make the player available for selection to the senior Reggae Boyz squad which was scheduled to play an international friendly against Ghana.
Paul Reid
Saturday, October 13, 2007
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Central defender Jermaine Taylor, who captained the Jamaican Olympic team at the start of the first round of the Olympic Qualifying in Aruba, is a noticeable absentee at the second round here in Port-Au-Prince.
TAYLOR.physical condition was not where the coaching staff wanted it to beThe Harbour View player is widely regarded as one of the top players in the country and was expected to take his place in the team as they try to qualify for the third and final stage.
When questioned as to the player's absence, coach Wendell Downswell told Sporting World yesterday that Taylor's and Waterhouse's Mario Harrison's physical condition was not where the coaching staff wanted it to be and thus they were not chosen for this tour.
Downswell said the players had not done enough to maintain their fitness levels and as such they would be a liability if they were taken on tour and were not able to perform as had happened in their recent tournaments.
"Their conditions are suspect," Downswell explained. Taylor, he said, had been taken on "several tours, three tours now and he broke down. We can only take 18 players and when we looked at him and Mario, we were not satisfied with their (physical) conditioning, as it relates to the team and that is the main reason."
There has been talk in some circles about Taylor's attitude on the recent tour to Aruba, but Downswell dismissed it. "I wouldn't say that was a major concern, it is just the conditioning. He did not play on the Asia tour and he broke down in training when we had them in Jamaica, after we played Harbour View (in a practice match)."
Taylor did play the first game against Indonesia on the gruelling four-nation tour of Asia in late June through to early July, but injury forced him out of the remaining three games against Vietnam, Malaysia and Iran.
Downswell said they got just "30 minutes out of him" in Aruba, adding that "we brought on Mario for 30 minutes (in Aruba), but it was a disaster in terms of their physical conditioning".
When asked if the clubs were to be blamed for the players' lack of conditioning, the coach said not so. "We can't blame clubs, players must learn that when they are in the national programme they have a responsibility to keep themselves in good physical condition.
"Look at the national programme, how many times we have them each year? And if they form an integral part of the programme it is their responsibility that they are in good physical condition at all times," he added.
However, having cited Taylor's physical conditioning as the main reason for his absence from this team, it remains a mystery why the Harbour View Football Club was approached by the JFF to make the player available for selection to the senior Reggae Boyz squad which was scheduled to play an international friendly against Ghana.
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