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Wolfe unhappy with inactivity of Senior team
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, October 14, 2007
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - Rafe Wolfe, Jamaica's Belgian based Under-23 player, says he feels "distraught" with the inactivity of the national Senior team as the start of World Cup qualifying approaches. Wolfe, who turns 22 in December and who is contracted to English Championship side Sheffield United, but on loan to Belgian Division Three team Royal White Star, said he feels "very disappointed with what is going on now".
WOLFE... everybody seems to be ahead of us and playing football
"I feel distraught because the World Cup qualifying starts next year and we have not started anything yet. Everybody seems to be ahead of us and playing football. I check the FIFA website everyday and see every team playing football, even those not playing qualifying are
in action."
Wolfe was talking to the Sunday Observer at the team hotel, El Rancho, a day after Jamaica lost their opening CFU Group H Olympic Qualifying match against the Bahamas.
Wolfe, who had not played for the national team since June at the CAC Games, started the Bahamas game but was substituted in the second half.
The former Portmore player took the defeat very hard, describing his feeling as "the worst I have ever felt in years. I can't see how we did not score and that was the main thing." he said.
While coach Wendell Downswell spoke about the team losing its shape, Wolfe believes that "if we had scored early, the organisation would be there... we definitely panicked, we panicked from too early".
Wolfe said he started with an almost new team to him as there "about three or four players I was playing with for the first time". Additionally, he had not played on the same team as Sheffield striker Luton Shelton, but said because they play under the same system, "we understand each other somewhat..."
The easy-going player has been adapting quickly to life in Belgium and has scored three times in six matches for fourth-placed Royal White Star.
A regular starter and Senior player, Rafe says he is a lot more comfortable now after being in the country for
about six months following
a successful trial with Sheffield United.
It took him some time to settle, however, with the cold weather and the food being the main obstacles.
"Football is very difficult as the weather is harsh, temperatures in the negative figures," he said. "The warmest weather... is 15 degrees, but now I'm much more comfortable and adapting to it."
Royal White Star, he explained, is a third division club "but it is not as bad as it sounds as there are about nine or 10 divisions in the system so it is not far from the Premier Division".
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, October 14, 2007
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - Rafe Wolfe, Jamaica's Belgian based Under-23 player, says he feels "distraught" with the inactivity of the national Senior team as the start of World Cup qualifying approaches. Wolfe, who turns 22 in December and who is contracted to English Championship side Sheffield United, but on loan to Belgian Division Three team Royal White Star, said he feels "very disappointed with what is going on now".
WOLFE... everybody seems to be ahead of us and playing football "I feel distraught because the World Cup qualifying starts next year and we have not started anything yet. Everybody seems to be ahead of us and playing football. I check the FIFA website everyday and see every team playing football, even those not playing qualifying are
in action."
Wolfe was talking to the Sunday Observer at the team hotel, El Rancho, a day after Jamaica lost their opening CFU Group H Olympic Qualifying match against the Bahamas.
Wolfe, who had not played for the national team since June at the CAC Games, started the Bahamas game but was substituted in the second half.
The former Portmore player took the defeat very hard, describing his feeling as "the worst I have ever felt in years. I can't see how we did not score and that was the main thing." he said.
While coach Wendell Downswell spoke about the team losing its shape, Wolfe believes that "if we had scored early, the organisation would be there... we definitely panicked, we panicked from too early".
Wolfe said he started with an almost new team to him as there "about three or four players I was playing with for the first time". Additionally, he had not played on the same team as Sheffield striker Luton Shelton, but said because they play under the same system, "we understand each other somewhat..."
The easy-going player has been adapting quickly to life in Belgium and has scored three times in six matches for fourth-placed Royal White Star.
A regular starter and Senior player, Rafe says he is a lot more comfortable now after being in the country for
about six months following
a successful trial with Sheffield United.
It took him some time to settle, however, with the cold weather and the food being the main obstacles.
"Football is very difficult as the weather is harsh, temperatures in the negative figures," he said. "The warmest weather... is 15 degrees, but now I'm much more comfortable and adapting to it."
Royal White Star, he explained, is a third division club "but it is not as bad as it sounds as there are about nine or 10 divisions in the system so it is not far from the Premier Division".
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