Girlz denied US visas

[Mosiah]

Girlz denied US visas

Livingston Scott

Tuesday, November 14, 2006



Harbour View's pair of Shanique Mitchell and Shakira Duncan will not be on this afternoon's flight when the Reggae Girlz take off for the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup tournament in Miami from November 19-26.



The two have been left out because they were denied US visas.



Assistant coach, Xavier Gilbert, who is in charge of the team in the absence of technical director Vin Blaine who is in Miami tying up business ends for the Girlz' arrival, said all their efforts to secure visas for the young women came to nought.



Yesterday Gilbert was unable to provide the Observer with a reason why the players were denied the visas, and instead referred this reporter to senior team manager, Howard 'Juicy' Bell. Neither Bell nor Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss, Crenston Boxhill, could be reached for comment at press time.



Gilbert said, however, that it appears that nothing can be done at this stage and already replacements for the Girlz have been identified.



"The problem is we had a cut-off time to give the list (of players) to CONCACAF... Shakira in particular, wasn't granted her visa and we did not have a time frame in place from the federation to ensure she received her visa," he said.



"And I don't think anything more can be done for them for this tournament in particular, but they trained with the squad right up to the last training session we had on Friday," he said.



The two were expected to play vital roles in the team's efforts at the Gold Cup which is a qualifier for next year's World Cup in China.



"They will be missed, Shakira is very creative, she has a lot of skills. She mainly comes off the bench, but when she does she always does well. Shanique is one of our starters upfront, and again she will also be missed," Gilbert said.

But he noted that worthy replacements are available.



"I think we have persons to fill the gap. Lianne McHardy is showing good signs in hitting the back of the net and we are hoping that she will come through for us. Rochelle Bryan is the other inclusion and she plays midfield and upfront," he noted.



Meanwhile, Gilbert yesterday confirmed electronic media reports that a practice game between the Girlz and neighbours Trinidad and Tobago scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled "because the Trinis won't get to Florida in time".



The Reggae Girlz opened their CONCACAF Gold Cup account against Panama at the Tropical Park Stadium in Miami on Sunday with spots in the semi-finals at stake.



The winner of the Jamaica/Panama match will advance to play against Canada, while the team advancing from the Mexico/Trinidad and Tobago clash will tackle reigning Gold Cup champions USA.



The semi-finals take place on Wednesday, November 22, at the Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University in Carson.



Tournament play concludes with the final and a third-place play-off game on Sunday, November 26, also to be held at the Home Depot Center.



The champions and runners-up will automatically qualify for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, while the third-placed finishers in CONCACAF will face Japan, from the Asian Football Confederation in a home-and-away play-off for the final berth to the FIFA World Cup.



Yesterday, JFF boss Boxhill treated the Girlz to a send-off dinner at Gloria's in Port Royal.

[Hortical]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Don't tell mi we wait till the las moment fi get visas? Look like we haffi move these tournaments from the USA in the future:crazy:

[Mosiah]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

<DIV>As far as I am concerned, they should be able to get the visas the morning of their flight to the USA! There are many good reasons why visas aren't sought weeks in advance. Remember, this is the same USA that didn't grant Venezuelan diplomats visas to attend the UN General Assembly!</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>I like the idea of moving these tourneys from the USA, but Jamaica and other countries will have to step up and begin to offer real alternatives, like a good playing surface or two!</DIV>

[Assasin]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Mosiah this maybe another Boxhill screw up again. They alway wait till the last minute to get visas fi player. I remember when they were going to China the morning of the trip they had players at the chinese embassy lookinf to get Visa. It nah go work all the time.

They need to apply in time so they can appeal if someone is turned down.

We can continue to blame others for the lack of organization on our path.

[MdmeX]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Sass, me agree with you. Last minute application won't work all the time. There has to be some ORDER to some things sometimes. Personally, me like working on my Plan A in due course, so that if necessary I can always turn to Plan B and C.

[Mosiah]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

<DIV>Mdmex, Jamaica has never had any player from the football program defect or cause any kind of embarrasment to the JFF or the country while on an American visa. The JFF gets no problems from other countries, but we are dealing with God-blessed USA who will continue to flex its muscles with those it can.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Getting visas for players isn't a simple thing as some of us would like to believe. You can't submit your roster of 18 months in advance because you might not know who is going to be on the team for various reasons, such as release from clubs, injury and form at the time of team selection. The JFF has been doing this sort of thing from 19-how-long, and the people who are doing it are the same people who did it under the previous administration. </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Sometimes wi need to just chill and stop trying to ascribe blame where there might not be any. As far as I am concerned, the US Embassy, for whatever reason, which is their right, just decided not to grant them visas. I guess attendingthe interview in a black, gold and green burqah did not help!</DIV>

[Karl]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Mosiah (11/14/2006)<DIV>Mdmex, Jamaica has never had any player from the football program defect or cause any kind of embarrasment to the JFF or the country while on an American visa. The JFF gets no problems from other countries, but we are dealing with God-blessed USA who will continue to flex its muscles with those it can.</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Getting visas for players isn't a simple thing as some of us would like to believe. You can't submit your roster of 18 months in advance because you might not know who is going to be on the team for various reasons, such as release from clubs, injury and form at the time of team selection. The JFF has been doing this sort of thing from 19-how-long, and the people who are doing it are the same people who did it under the previous administration. </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Sometimes wi need to just chill and stop trying to ascribe blame where there might not be any. As far as I am concerned, the US Embassy, for whatever reason, which is their right, just decided not to grant them visas. I guess attendingthe interview in a black, gold and green burqah did not help!</DIV>

Careful, Mosiah?

If memory serves me right, the late Lester Richards led a team where members 'ran off'.

[Lazie]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

"Jamaica has never had any player from the football program defect"

Yuh sure bout that Mosiah?

[Mosiah]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

We're talking since the Jurassic Period, Karl. But thanks for the heads up!

[MdmeX]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Mosiah,

I'm chillin (ICE COLD)

Anyway, not trying to ascribe blame, but I recall that a few years back (maybe 2 or 3) some members of the Holmwood track team were denied visas for their participation at Penn Relays. Those students subsequently got the visas, because they had time on their side in which to launch an appeal process.

[Mosiah]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

<DIV>I remember. While nothing should be done last minute, I, in my alleged strong and blindsupport for the Boxhill-led administration, will give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>There have been other occasions, Mdmex, where appeals have fallen on deaf ears. And the games went on!</DIV>

[Karl]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Mosiah (11/14/2006)We're talking since the Jurassic Period, Karl. But thanks for the heads up!

[Karl]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

This one is hard to defend. It has been some time that the JFF knew the REGGAE GIRLZ would be going to compete in the US.

It is further compounded as our ladies frontline players are few - 17 or thereabouts.

I remember someone discussing the issue of getting the visas long in advance as saying, "it cost money".

[Mosiah]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

Karl (11/14/2006)It has been some time that the JFF knew the REGGAE GIRLZ would be going to compete in the US.

The REGGAE GIRLZ can't get a visa, Karl. The individual players have to get their individual visas. So, knowing they were headed for the Gold Cup 2 months ago doesn't really help. Are you saying the visas should have been applied for then, when they qualified?

[Sickko]

RE: Girlz denied US visas

We actually had a player 'run off' during a recent youth tournament when Bertis Bell was the coach so it could have been an Undre 20 team.



In an after the fact assesment they realised they should have known some thing was up as the player had packed really 'lightly' for the week-plus tournamnet.



The rest of the team was at breakfast the first morning after arriving when the boy did not show up, when they went to his room all they saw was a bag with a pair of boots. When they checked with the doorman at the hotel they saw a car had pulled up and he jumped into it and that was that.



As for the 'blame Boxhill' crew...you have time to even answer rubbish arguments. I am sure national teams from all eras and disciplines have had visa applications turned down even under football god Burrell.



It is the norm to wait a few days or even the day of departure to get visas, for events such as Penn Relays etc....