Tweet
There really was no need to have fired 'Bora'
published: Friday | November 23, 2007
AS THE outbreak of football fever continues to reinfect Reggae Boy supporters both at home and abroad, the debate continues to rage regarding the termination of the contract of experienced Serbia-born coach Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic after a little over a year.
While we must freely admit that the results achieved by Milutinovic over the past few months were below par, a number of reasons make the decision to sack the coach a premature and hasty one.
Impatient people
In December, when the then new technical director announced his intentions to build a strong local squad before integrating the more experienced overseas contingent, most people were all smiles and applauded the effort as a positive step in the development of the local game.
However, when the bad results started coming in, which, should you really think about it were inevitable, as the squad of almost purely local semi-professionals took on professional outfits, there were already calls for his resignation without him even having taken charge of a full strength Reggae Boyz squad, what a waste!
The simply fact is that we are, as people, by nature impatient; always looking for the quick fix solutions or immediate results.
It's a good thing that we were not the ones saddled with the responsibility of building Rome. It is however an even sadder case when this childish petulance is displayed by those put in charge of the development of the nation's football.
Now, don't get me wrong. By the time the previous administration left office, the sport of football had basically ground to a halt. Friendlies had stopped, and we even saw the stoppage of the local league.
In fact, I even gave thanks that the former administration wasn't directly responsible for my weekend scrimmage games or those might have stopped too.
However, with a coach with the reputation of Milutinovic already in our services, there was no need to totally reinvent the wheel.
The logical thing, in my opinion, would have been to sit down with the coach, discuss things that were liked or not liked and then set parameters that the JFF expects, it after all is the coach who works for the federation and not the other way around.
Should he not have lived up to expectations after that, then by all means apply the boot.
Can anyone truly feel intellectually snug with the idea that Milutinovic had nothing to teach Jamaica? Or is it purely by coincidence that he stumbled across his international accolades?
Top-class salary
While the ranking slipping to 103rd in the world was a consideration, the simple fact is that we were not playing any friendlies to improve and that again cannot be blamed on Bora.
In 1995, two years before the team qualified for France '98, the Boyz were 95th.
So, with two years to go, there is no need to think that the issue could not have been corrected with the majority of the first-string squad not yet called into action.
Complaints about the US$1 million paid to Milutinovic was also a concern of those quick to sever ties. However, in inter-national terms, the coach's salary was by no means outlandish.
Leo Beenhakker, a man with a far less impressive resume, earned US$30,000 a month in a stint which lasted a little over a year in Trinidad and will now earn €250,000 a year coaching Poland.
The issue is simply one of how much one is willing to pay for a top-class coach.
Feedback: kwesi.mugisa@gleanerjm.com
published: Friday | November 23, 2007
AS THE outbreak of football fever continues to reinfect Reggae Boy supporters both at home and abroad, the debate continues to rage regarding the termination of the contract of experienced Serbia-born coach Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic after a little over a year.
While we must freely admit that the results achieved by Milutinovic over the past few months were below par, a number of reasons make the decision to sack the coach a premature and hasty one.
Impatient people
In December, when the then new technical director announced his intentions to build a strong local squad before integrating the more experienced overseas contingent, most people were all smiles and applauded the effort as a positive step in the development of the local game.
However, when the bad results started coming in, which, should you really think about it were inevitable, as the squad of almost purely local semi-professionals took on professional outfits, there were already calls for his resignation without him even having taken charge of a full strength Reggae Boyz squad, what a waste!
The simply fact is that we are, as people, by nature impatient; always looking for the quick fix solutions or immediate results.
It's a good thing that we were not the ones saddled with the responsibility of building Rome. It is however an even sadder case when this childish petulance is displayed by those put in charge of the development of the nation's football.
Now, don't get me wrong. By the time the previous administration left office, the sport of football had basically ground to a halt. Friendlies had stopped, and we even saw the stoppage of the local league.
In fact, I even gave thanks that the former administration wasn't directly responsible for my weekend scrimmage games or those might have stopped too.
However, with a coach with the reputation of Milutinovic already in our services, there was no need to totally reinvent the wheel.
The logical thing, in my opinion, would have been to sit down with the coach, discuss things that were liked or not liked and then set parameters that the JFF expects, it after all is the coach who works for the federation and not the other way around.
Should he not have lived up to expectations after that, then by all means apply the boot.
Can anyone truly feel intellectually snug with the idea that Milutinovic had nothing to teach Jamaica? Or is it purely by coincidence that he stumbled across his international accolades?
Top-class salary
While the ranking slipping to 103rd in the world was a consideration, the simple fact is that we were not playing any friendlies to improve and that again cannot be blamed on Bora.
In 1995, two years before the team qualified for France '98, the Boyz were 95th.
So, with two years to go, there is no need to think that the issue could not have been corrected with the majority of the first-string squad not yet called into action.
Complaints about the US$1 million paid to Milutinovic was also a concern of those quick to sever ties. However, in inter-national terms, the coach's salary was by no means outlandish.
Leo Beenhakker, a man with a far less impressive resume, earned US$30,000 a month in a stint which lasted a little over a year in Trinidad and will now earn €250,000 a year coaching Poland.
The issue is simply one of how much one is willing to pay for a top-class coach.
Feedback: kwesi.mugisa@gleanerjm.com
Comment