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Brown has high hopes for Cayman Islands
Saturday, February 09, 2008
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands (CMC) - Jamaican coach Carl Brown, who steered the Cayman Islands to a surprise 1-1 draw against home team Bermuda in a World Cup qualifier last weekend, has high hopes for his little-rated unit.
Their away result in Bermuda on Sunday gives the Cayman Islands a big psychological boost for the return leg at home next month and Brown, who was assistant coach to Rene Simoes when Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup Finals in France, wants to make a mark with the Cayman Islands, currently ranked a low No 19 in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
"I can't say that we'll take the Caymans to the World Cup the way we did with Jamaica, but I am sure we can make the Cayman Islands a strong contender in the Caribbean," said Brown, who took over as head coach of the Cayman Islands last year.
Brown, 56, is satisfied that the natural talent in the Cayman Islands gives him a good platform to build the national side into a competitive unit.
"The level of raw talent is alive and well here. What I need to do is instill a level of professionalism and make the players see that football can be a future for them.
"Look how many Trinidadian players and Jamaicans are playing in England right now," added Brown in a FIFA website story.
The Cayman Islands, ranked 44 places below Bermuda (147th) on the FIFA world rankings list, will be hosts of the Bermudians for the second leg of the World Cup qualifier on March 26.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands (CMC) - Jamaican coach Carl Brown, who steered the Cayman Islands to a surprise 1-1 draw against home team Bermuda in a World Cup qualifier last weekend, has high hopes for his little-rated unit.
Their away result in Bermuda on Sunday gives the Cayman Islands a big psychological boost for the return leg at home next month and Brown, who was assistant coach to Rene Simoes when Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup Finals in France, wants to make a mark with the Cayman Islands, currently ranked a low No 19 in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
"I can't say that we'll take the Caymans to the World Cup the way we did with Jamaica, but I am sure we can make the Cayman Islands a strong contender in the Caribbean," said Brown, who took over as head coach of the Cayman Islands last year.
Brown, 56, is satisfied that the natural talent in the Cayman Islands gives him a good platform to build the national side into a competitive unit.
"The level of raw talent is alive and well here. What I need to do is instill a level of professionalism and make the players see that football can be a future for them.
"Look how many Trinidadian players and Jamaicans are playing in England right now," added Brown in a FIFA website story.
The Cayman Islands, ranked 44 places below Bermuda (147th) on the FIFA world rankings list, will be hosts of the Bermudians for the second leg of the World Cup qualifier on March 26.