What are your views on Haitian football??

[Warlord]

Do you think that they can sustain their recent progress in the last year? And are they to be considered one of our arch-rivals for the future?

Discuss.....

[Reggae-Fan]

Haiti no doubt has raw talent just like Jamaica, if anything else, they may have more of that talent scattered throughout their 9 million + population.

That said, I would imagine their poor facilities and overall lack of financial resources might be a hindrance to their football development. And of course, I say this without knowing much about their facilities.

[Gamma]

they're doing well with what they have though.

[Karl]

Do you think that they can sustain their recent progress in the last year? And are they to be considered one of our arch-rivals for the future?

Discuss.....

They usually have a problem with unity. The various 'governments' manage their football. It has been my first hand experience - from the 80s on - that it is Army Officers who manage. Consequently when the government changes the football goes into limbo. If they solve that unity problem...have any sustained period of stability in leadership, they, if we continue this 'start-stop-start-stop' approach, could surpass us.

Like ourselves, they have the talent to eventually reach the very TOP!

[Warlord]

Haiti no doubt has raw talent just like Jamaica, if anything else, they may have more of that talent scattered throughout their 9 million + population.

That said, I would imagine their poor facilities and overall lack of financial resources might be a hindrance to their football development. And of course, I say this without knowing much about their facilities.

RF,

I understand your point but by no means should they be ahead of Jamaica at any point when it comes to football. Yes they have a bigger pop'n size as opposed to us but that doesn't automatically mean bigger player pool equals better players. You just have to look at a country like Uruguay with 3-4 million to get my point.

I might be a bit biased here but I think we along with Trinidad have far more talent than they do. The problem is with the way we develop our players and the level they play at.

Now on their recent success in football, they have had Digicel step in and sponsor their national teams at all levels. They have also had some sponsorship from other minor investors which has enabled them to prepare better for tournaments in recent times, but they are still below us even though we've struggled in recent times.

The Haitian players get a free pass to play in the lower leagues in France so even though they don't have enough money to bankroll player development, their players benefit from clubs teams' programmes in France.

This has helped their player development tremendously. This is also the reason they have had their youth teams qualify for prestigious tournaments, but at senior level they're a flop. Cannot get out of the preliminary round of WCQ for the last 32+ years and we know how they over-achieved earlier this yr with winning the Digicel Cup struggling to beat Trini who fielded a very "weak" squad for the finals.

[Warlord]

they're doing well with what they have though.

but do you see them getting better for the future and passing us in that regard?

I think they have talent but don't think they're better. We have done the business against them at senior level many times especially in WCQ, but that's not enough these days. They are fired up when they play any of CFU's big two. As a matter of fact....every likkle team in CFU wants to beat either Jamaica or Trini to have braggin rights. I think its because both nations success in football ( Shell Cup tournaments and CFU club ball) and more recently both nations qualification for the WC.

Most teams know that they have to try and get by either team for them to have a chance which is why if they beat us its like a WC dream for them.

Haiti is no different. They are envious of Jamaicans and our success historically especially in football.

[Warlord]

They usually have a problem with unity. The various 'governments' manage their football. It has been my first hand experience - from the 80s on - that it is Army Officers who manage. Consequently when the government changes the football goes into limbo. If they solve that unity problem...have any sustained period of stability in leadership, they, if we continue this 'start-stop-start-stop' approach, could surpass us.

Like ourselves, they have the talent to eventually reach the very TOP!

Who doesn't have that in CFU or the world for that matter? Coaches are always gonna pick who they want to for their teams and Administrators do the very same. Just take a look at Trinidad at the GC tournament earlier this year and you will get your answer.

Now to the question of them surpassing us, we should never let that happen. We have a deep football history and I honestly believe we have the better players. The problem starts with how we harness talent. If we can do thinkgs the right way and get the right people involved, we shouldn't have any problems.

[Gamma]

they qualified for the wc before us, let's not forget that.

[Warlord]

they qualified for the wc before us, let's not forget that.

so did Cuba. They might've gotten there b4 us but that was marred with controversy. My point is up until recently, they haven't done anything in CFU to warrant them being better than us.

Winning 1 Digicel Cup title in CFU doesn't make you a powerhouse.

[OJ]

There seems to be some will in Hati to spend money or there is some benefactor. Just saw where canada pulled out of bidding for the olympic qualifying because hati was bidding. Amazing that Hati would be willing to spend on hosting when Canada thought it was cost prohibitive.

[Warlord]

There seems to be some will in Hati to spend money or there is some benefactor. Just saw where canada pulled out of bidding for the olympic qualifying because hati was bidding. Amazing that Hati would be willing to spend on hosting when Canada thought it was cost prohibitive.

OJ,

Haiti also has some small investors besides Digicel that sponsor their national teams but its not enough they are too poor. Now on the issue of actually hosting a regional or FIFA sanctioned tournament, they will never get a bligh because their facilities are not up to standard of FIFA requirements.

Canada for a nation its size has the money but it is geared towards hockey development. Remember not too long ago they hosted the FIFA U-20 tournament and they had a successful turnout breaking the previous record held by the Mexicans.

[OJ]

yes but hati just hosted the qualifying didn't they. The same one where bahamas bet Jam.. u know what I dont want to recall that embarrasment. But the fact is that hati would be Willing to host/.

[Lionpaw]

They are no push-overs and will probably be better than us in 10 yrs time. Keep in mind that their youth teams have been wipping ours for a few years now. Remember the 4-0 they gave our U-20 in qualifying in Jamaica? Them nah play.

[Warlord]

They are no push-overs and will probably be better than us in 10 yrs time. Keep in mind that their youth teams have been wipping ours for a few years now. Remember the 4-0 they gave our U-20 in qualifying in Jamaica? Them nah play.

Not disputing that they've had some success in their youth team structure but they fall off the wagon at senior level everytime. We've also had our youth teams qualify for FIFA tournaments consistently since '98 up until recently.

Yea we've feel off at that level but a proper structure at all youth levels will see us there again. Haiti is benefitting from sponsorship investment, and overseas(french lower league academies)which has led to touring, quality opposition, better coaches among other things. I can see other teams in CFU getting better but they will not concievably pass us or Trini for that matter.

Football runs in our veins like it does the Brazilians. Sure its possible they'll beat us here at youth level but in WCQ I doubt they'll get the better of us anytime soon.

[Pepsi]

Jamaica-Haiti have a rivalry before any other CariBBean Island,before Trinidad or even Cuba.They (haitien) may end up in our Group for Qualifiers.We played Haiti more times than any other country in the western Hemisphere...


They have good talents but lack the resources to push them further, the same problems we have here in Jamaica.On the international circuit we get one of the best result in World Cup (2-1 japan) only cuba have won a game
at that level.

good one Warlord.