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Prof Simoes and potential challenges
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Dear Editor,
There has been some rejoicing since we got wind of the return of Professor Rene Simoes to the technical helm of Jamaica's football.
It was under Prof Simoes' watch that Jamaica registered its participation in the World Cup '98 finals. However, there has been a view that our debut might have been premature.
The view also suggests that the future, standard and capability of our football would have been better served if we had spent more resources on building up the potential of local-based players. Instead, we had compromised that possibility for the short-term gain by engaging a large influx of foreign-born players. Players who were not readily available, particularly outside of World Cup season, when friendlies are played to measure progress and boost confidence.
The Prof left us almost immediately after our World Cup debut. He did give some reasons. One was the deplorable condition and maintenance of our grounds. Even the playing surface at the National Stadium was criticised as not being up to standard to host practice matches. One is not aware of anything having been or being done to improve playing surfaces since the departure of the Prof.
There are several daunting questions facing us: Are we still going to rely on foreign-born players at the expense of building up a reliable, sustainable and readily available local cadre of players? Another has to do with the possible implications of the smaller pay package that was offered the Prof this time around. The purse on his first tenure was much larger, and even that of his predecessor.
The number, condition and maintenance of playing fields should be of great concern. The complaints of the Prof have not been addressed and could very well pose insurmountable challenges to the stewardship of the Prof and the progress of our football.
Lionel Russell
Spanish Town
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Dear Editor,
There has been some rejoicing since we got wind of the return of Professor Rene Simoes to the technical helm of Jamaica's football.
It was under Prof Simoes' watch that Jamaica registered its participation in the World Cup '98 finals. However, there has been a view that our debut might have been premature.
The view also suggests that the future, standard and capability of our football would have been better served if we had spent more resources on building up the potential of local-based players. Instead, we had compromised that possibility for the short-term gain by engaging a large influx of foreign-born players. Players who were not readily available, particularly outside of World Cup season, when friendlies are played to measure progress and boost confidence.
The Prof left us almost immediately after our World Cup debut. He did give some reasons. One was the deplorable condition and maintenance of our grounds. Even the playing surface at the National Stadium was criticised as not being up to standard to host practice matches. One is not aware of anything having been or being done to improve playing surfaces since the departure of the Prof.
There are several daunting questions facing us: Are we still going to rely on foreign-born players at the expense of building up a reliable, sustainable and readily available local cadre of players? Another has to do with the possible implications of the smaller pay package that was offered the Prof this time around. The purse on his first tenure was much larger, and even that of his predecessor.
The number, condition and maintenance of playing fields should be of great concern. The complaints of the Prof have not been addressed and could very well pose insurmountable challenges to the stewardship of the Prof and the progress of our football.
Lionel Russell
Spanish Town
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