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GAME OVER! .........Downswell quits as national head coach
Sources cite Brown as interim coach of Reggae Boyz
Observer Reporter
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
DOWNSWELL... I have accomplished much with limited resources
LESS than two years after being appointed head coach of the national senior football team, as well as other national outfits, Wendell Downswell has resigned from the job.
According to a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) release yesterday, following meetings between president Crenston Boxhill and Downswell, the JFF accepted the latter's letter of resignation, which took effect last Friday.
The JFF said this move was in keeping with the decision to restructure its technical department.
"With the limited resources, look at what I have accomplished...," Downswell said yesterday.
BROWN... was sacked as technical director in 2004
"...Yes, we might have gotten some healthy beatings in the last part... that is somewhat disappointing, but if you look at the success at the regional level and both at the Caribbean and the CONCACAF levels, we have done relatively well," Downswell said.
"When I assumed the responsibility as the national head coach - of course I didn't apply for the job as it was entrusted upon me - and at the time I think the federation was in a precarious position and I think I did a satisfactory work in terms of getting us back," he added.
Downswell, who was given the job on November 22, 2004, four days after former technical director Carl Brown was sacked, is proud of his accomplishments during his tenure.
"We have won the Digicel Cup, we won the Under-15 Caribbean Championships... the female team - they did well and we qualified for the CAC Games and now the Pan Am Games. I think the foundation has been laid and it's just for us now to build on what we are seeing here," he said.
Quizzed as to who would be his successor, Downswell said, "I'm not certain who will be the replacement," but he expressed a willingness to assist in whatever capacity the JFF might deem necessary.
Co-incidentally, the Observer's usually reliable sources claim that Downswell could be replaced by the man he replaced - Brown - with three international friendlies against Canada (September 4 away and October 8 at home) and Peru on November 15 at home.
Sources say Brown is being considered for the post on an interim basis, as the JFF is yet to conclude a deal for a permanent head coach. It is not certain if Brown is aware of the JFF's intention.
Our sources further indicate that the Crenston Boxhill-led JFF is leaning towards Argentinian Jose Pekerman to fill the post of head coach. He guided his country to the quarter-finals of the World Cup Finals in Germany this summer.
The 56-year-old Pekerman, a former youth team coach, who won three Under-20 World Cup titles, was promoted to the senior national side two years ago, replacing Marcelo Bielsa who was in charge at the 2002 World Cup Finals.
Jamaican-born former England international John Barnes, as well as Bora Milutinovic and Dutch Under-21 coach Foppe Dehana, are also being considered for the post. However, it is believed the level of government assistance will determine which coach lands the job.
Downswell has come under immense pressure following a string of resounding losses in recent months. The Reggae Boyz succumbed 5-0 to Australia last October, went down 4-1 to Ghana and 6-0 to England on their summer tour of England prior to the World Cup Finals.
However, the outgoing coach, while not happy with those results, thought those teams were far superior to Jamaica.
"If you look at the results and the teams that we have lost to, we've lost to England, who were a quarter-finalists in the recent World Cup. We have lost to Australia and Ghana, which were both in the top 16 (of the World Cup) and just recently in the youth competition - we lost to Colombia, who are the CAC champions - so if you look at it ov
Sources cite Brown as interim coach of Reggae Boyz
Observer Reporter
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
DOWNSWELL... I have accomplished much with limited resources
LESS than two years after being appointed head coach of the national senior football team, as well as other national outfits, Wendell Downswell has resigned from the job.
According to a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) release yesterday, following meetings between president Crenston Boxhill and Downswell, the JFF accepted the latter's letter of resignation, which took effect last Friday.
The JFF said this move was in keeping with the decision to restructure its technical department.
"With the limited resources, look at what I have accomplished...," Downswell said yesterday.
BROWN... was sacked as technical director in 2004
"...Yes, we might have gotten some healthy beatings in the last part... that is somewhat disappointing, but if you look at the success at the regional level and both at the Caribbean and the CONCACAF levels, we have done relatively well," Downswell said.
"When I assumed the responsibility as the national head coach - of course I didn't apply for the job as it was entrusted upon me - and at the time I think the federation was in a precarious position and I think I did a satisfactory work in terms of getting us back," he added.
Downswell, who was given the job on November 22, 2004, four days after former technical director Carl Brown was sacked, is proud of his accomplishments during his tenure.
"We have won the Digicel Cup, we won the Under-15 Caribbean Championships... the female team - they did well and we qualified for the CAC Games and now the Pan Am Games. I think the foundation has been laid and it's just for us now to build on what we are seeing here," he said.
Quizzed as to who would be his successor, Downswell said, "I'm not certain who will be the replacement," but he expressed a willingness to assist in whatever capacity the JFF might deem necessary.
Co-incidentally, the Observer's usually reliable sources claim that Downswell could be replaced by the man he replaced - Brown - with three international friendlies against Canada (September 4 away and October 8 at home) and Peru on November 15 at home.
Sources say Brown is being considered for the post on an interim basis, as the JFF is yet to conclude a deal for a permanent head coach. It is not certain if Brown is aware of the JFF's intention.
Our sources further indicate that the Crenston Boxhill-led JFF is leaning towards Argentinian Jose Pekerman to fill the post of head coach. He guided his country to the quarter-finals of the World Cup Finals in Germany this summer.
The 56-year-old Pekerman, a former youth team coach, who won three Under-20 World Cup titles, was promoted to the senior national side two years ago, replacing Marcelo Bielsa who was in charge at the 2002 World Cup Finals.
Jamaican-born former England international John Barnes, as well as Bora Milutinovic and Dutch Under-21 coach Foppe Dehana, are also being considered for the post. However, it is believed the level of government assistance will determine which coach lands the job.
Downswell has come under immense pressure following a string of resounding losses in recent months. The Reggae Boyz succumbed 5-0 to Australia last October, went down 4-1 to Ghana and 6-0 to England on their summer tour of England prior to the World Cup Finals.
However, the outgoing coach, while not happy with those results, thought those teams were far superior to Jamaica.
"If you look at the results and the teams that we have lost to, we've lost to England, who were a quarter-finalists in the recent World Cup. We have lost to Australia and Ghana, which were both in the top 16 (of the World Cup) and just recently in the youth competition - we lost to Colombia, who are the CAC champions - so if you look at it ov
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