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Boyz starting to gel, says Simoes
TD impressed with team spirit
Sean Williams
Monday, June 09, 2008
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Technical director of Jamaica's football, Brazilian Rene Simoes, said he was delighted with the spirit exhibited by the Reggae Boyz in their 1-1 draw with fierce rivals the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly international near here on Saturday.
"Firstly, our group is starting to get together and this is very important.the players are now happy with whoever goes in and comes out. I hope one day they will be a family. Today (Saturday), the World Cup spirit was there and I like that," he said.
CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president Austin 'Jack' Warner (right), in discussion with (from left) technical director Rene Simoes, JFF boss Captain Horace Burrell and JFF general secretary Horace Reid at the Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, yesterday. Warner was off to Nigeria for FIFA duties, while the other three were bound for Grenada where the Reggae Boyz will play a friendly international against that country's team tomorrow. (Photo: Sean Williams)
He said that spirit which fuelled a rallying effort from the Boyz as they tied the game against the Soca Warriors in the dying moments, was well represented, especially by the second half substitutes.
"I also liked the spirit of the players who came into the game like Omar Daley, Jermaine Johnson, Luton Shelton, Deon Burton. The spirit is so important because sometimes when you put a player on the bench and he comes into the game he thinks he's not important, so he does not give everything," said Simoes.
Trinidad took the lead in Saturday's game in the 30th minute through Khaleem Hyland, but Jamaica fought back and evened the account through Shelton, who scored from the penalty spot in the 90th minute after he was cut down by goalkeeper Clayton Ince as he charged the opponents' goal.
The tied result did not truly reflect Jamaica's offensive superiority, having got numerous opportunities to embarrass an otherwise solid-looking Trinidad team stacked with a number of their overseas-based professionals.
But what is conclusive is that players and supporters of both countries left the Marvin Lee Stadium relieved that they had not lost the game, the second in a two-match friendly series with the first also ending in a draw (2-2) in Kingston on March 26.
Simoes, who partnered with the Jamaican people to see the country to its first World Cup Finals back in France 1998, said Saturday's game was one he wanted to win.
"I think we more than deserved to draw the game...we did create more chances to score than they did, so I am pleased for that. It's a Caribbean derby and we were really going for the win," he said.
The Brazilian, six months into his new stint in charge of Jamaica's technical football programme, faced bitter criticism from the Jamaican football fans when the Boyz squandered a comfortable 2-0 lead against the Warriors in Kingston in the first leg when the team was reduced in strength after wholesale changes were made to allow local and inexperienced talent to come to the fore.
Simoes was not prepared to repeat that mistake in the second game and fielded a strong team with eight foreign-based pros answering the referee's first whistle.
"I think generally this team is being born and this is good.the shape of the team, the movement, the co-ordination, the beautiful set plays. It's all good," he said.
Simoes said he intends to stay with the 3-5-2 formation as long as it suits the team, but expressed concern with that holding midfield position which Oneil Thompson played until he was substituted at half-time by Daley after an atrocious back pass gave Trinidad their go-ahead goal.
"I like this system (3-5-2) because it gives Bibi (Ricardo Gardner) more freedom, but (Rudolph) Austin needs a little time to adjust to that position. But my concern now is, where is Peter Cargill?" Simoes was making reference to the late World Cup veteran who ruled as king in that midfield role for Jamaica for a lengthy spell before retiring.
When Thompson was replaced, 17-year-old Evon Taylor, who started the game in a more attacking midfield role, was reverted in the defensive midfield slot and did a decent job there.
"We have Evon Taylor, who has come into the team and the way he has played is amazing, he does not care if he plays at the National Stadium or he plays here (Trinidad) or whether it is on grass or artificial turf, he's so good," said Simoes in praise of the Reno FC player.
Simoes' 21-man squad arrived in Grenada yesterday for another friendly against that nation's team tomorrow at the Grenada National Stadium in the capital St George's starting at 4:00 pm (3:00 pm local time).
And he said he will be going for nothing short of a win.
"We will go for the same team because they will have to get to know each other, they have to get along. Maybe what I will do is to make the changes earlier...we need a result, we need to win this game to preserve our reputation and to improve our FIFA ranking," he noted.
Toronto FC's defender Tyrone Marshall is due to join the group in Grenada.
After the Grenada game, the Boyz will turn their attention to Sunday's CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tie against The Bahamas in Jamaica.
Boyz starting to gel, says Simoes
TD impressed with team spirit
Sean Williams
Monday, June 09, 2008
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Technical director of Jamaica's football, Brazilian Rene Simoes, said he was delighted with the spirit exhibited by the Reggae Boyz in their 1-1 draw with fierce rivals the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly international near here on Saturday.
"Firstly, our group is starting to get together and this is very important.the players are now happy with whoever goes in and comes out. I hope one day they will be a family. Today (Saturday), the World Cup spirit was there and I like that," he said.
CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president Austin 'Jack' Warner (right), in discussion with (from left) technical director Rene Simoes, JFF boss Captain Horace Burrell and JFF general secretary Horace Reid at the Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, yesterday. Warner was off to Nigeria for FIFA duties, while the other three were bound for Grenada where the Reggae Boyz will play a friendly international against that country's team tomorrow. (Photo: Sean Williams) He said that spirit which fuelled a rallying effort from the Boyz as they tied the game against the Soca Warriors in the dying moments, was well represented, especially by the second half substitutes.
"I also liked the spirit of the players who came into the game like Omar Daley, Jermaine Johnson, Luton Shelton, Deon Burton. The spirit is so important because sometimes when you put a player on the bench and he comes into the game he thinks he's not important, so he does not give everything," said Simoes.
Trinidad took the lead in Saturday's game in the 30th minute through Khaleem Hyland, but Jamaica fought back and evened the account through Shelton, who scored from the penalty spot in the 90th minute after he was cut down by goalkeeper Clayton Ince as he charged the opponents' goal.
The tied result did not truly reflect Jamaica's offensive superiority, having got numerous opportunities to embarrass an otherwise solid-looking Trinidad team stacked with a number of their overseas-based professionals.
But what is conclusive is that players and supporters of both countries left the Marvin Lee Stadium relieved that they had not lost the game, the second in a two-match friendly series with the first also ending in a draw (2-2) in Kingston on March 26.
Simoes, who partnered with the Jamaican people to see the country to its first World Cup Finals back in France 1998, said Saturday's game was one he wanted to win.
"I think we more than deserved to draw the game...we did create more chances to score than they did, so I am pleased for that. It's a Caribbean derby and we were really going for the win," he said.
The Brazilian, six months into his new stint in charge of Jamaica's technical football programme, faced bitter criticism from the Jamaican football fans when the Boyz squandered a comfortable 2-0 lead against the Warriors in Kingston in the first leg when the team was reduced in strength after wholesale changes were made to allow local and inexperienced talent to come to the fore.
Simoes was not prepared to repeat that mistake in the second game and fielded a strong team with eight foreign-based pros answering the referee's first whistle.
"I think generally this team is being born and this is good.the shape of the team, the movement, the co-ordination, the beautiful set plays. It's all good," he said.
Simoes said he intends to stay with the 3-5-2 formation as long as it suits the team, but expressed concern with that holding midfield position which Oneil Thompson played until he was substituted at half-time by Daley after an atrocious back pass gave Trinidad their go-ahead goal.
"I like this system (3-5-2) because it gives Bibi (Ricardo Gardner) more freedom, but (Rudolph) Austin needs a little time to adjust to that position. But my concern now is, where is Peter Cargill?" Simoes was making reference to the late World Cup veteran who ruled as king in that midfield role for Jamaica for a lengthy spell before retiring.
When Thompson was replaced, 17-year-old Evon Taylor, who started the game in a more attacking midfield role, was reverted in the defensive midfield slot and did a decent job there.
"We have Evon Taylor, who has come into the team and the way he has played is amazing, he does not care if he plays at the National Stadium or he plays here (Trinidad) or whether it is on grass or artificial turf, he's so good," said Simoes in praise of the Reno FC player.
Simoes' 21-man squad arrived in Grenada yesterday for another friendly against that nation's team tomorrow at the Grenada National Stadium in the capital St George's starting at 4:00 pm (3:00 pm local time).
And he said he will be going for nothing short of a win.
"We will go for the same team because they will have to get to know each other, they have to get along. Maybe what I will do is to make the changes earlier...we need a result, we need to win this game to preserve our reputation and to improve our FIFA ranking," he noted.
Toronto FC's defender Tyrone Marshall is due to join the group in Grenada.
After the Grenada game, the Boyz will turn their attention to Sunday's CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tie against The Bahamas in Jamaica.
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