Oliver Shield Revamped

[Plush]

Here's an idea taken from the previous thread....
Ehy don't we expand the amount of schools that compete fror the Oliver shield and make it more like champs and the NCAA BBall knockout in the US. I'm sure we'll draw a bigger crowd, sponsors, as well as rivalry and esposure for the youths...

Say one weekend where the four top schools from both Manning & Dcup can compete for Top honors. This would also be a prime venue for scouts to watch some of the top players competing against each other...both Dcup and Mcup...Thoughts?

[Lazie]

Here's an idea taken from the previous thread....
Ehy don't we expand the amount of schools that compete fror the Oliver shield and make it more like champs and the NCAA BBall knockout in the US. I'm sure we'll draw a bigger crowd, sponsors, as well as rivalry and esposure for the youths...

Say one weekend where the four top schools from both Manning & Dcup can compete for Top honors. This would also be a prime venue for scouts to watch some of the top players competing against each other...both Dcup and Mcup...Thoughts?

What difference would it make Plush? The problems would still be there. As it is, the youngster lack the basics. We need to shift our focus from schoolboy to the club football.

[Mosiah]

We need to shift our focus from schoolboy to the club football.

How exactly should that be done?

If you were president of ISSA or JFF, how would you shift that focus?

[Assasin]

and how many clubs don't have one decent coach?

Lazie think we can depend on the 6 good Premier league teams to carry our football forward.

We need a comprehensive plan that involves the schools, the clubs and regional teams. The JFF have to make use of the best coaches islandwide, not just when them call 20 players.

[Mosiah]

I would really lke to hear how this shift would be accomplished though.

Let me help Lazie. Would you decrease the number of teams in the schoolboy competitions? Would you scrap it altogether, including U-13, U-14 nd U-16 competitions? Do you get more sponsorship for club age group competitions?

How exactly?

(Feel free to throw in some insult when you answer, Lazie.)

[Lazie]

and how many clubs don't have one decent coach?

Lazie think we can depend on the 6 good Premier league teams to carry our football forward.

We need a comprehensive plan that involves the schools, the clubs and regional teams. The JFF have to make use of the best coaches islandwide, not just when them call 20 players.

... suh all these schools involved in Dcup and Manning Cup have decent coaches?

[Mosiah]

Still thinking about my question, huh?

Thanks for giving it some thought. I am anticipating a worthwhile discussion!

[Lazie]

How exactly should that be done?

If you were president of ISSA or JFF, how would you shift that focus?

Suh because we see the problem, that mean others cannot put forth solutions? Again, you're all thinking at the schoolboy level ... I'm starting before that.

As head of the JFF every parish league would be scraped. There would be the NPL, an islandwide D1 and D2 competition. We would have to work out how to promote a new team into D2 after others have been demoted.

The parish FAs would be responsible for youth development. Each parish would have maybe 3 or 4 coaches that would run clinics from an early age of maybe 6 or 7, teaching the kids the basics .. control, passing, heading etc. Each parish should run youth leagues starting at maybe the U9 level. At a certain age group, these youth leagues could be interparish competitions.

From here the players with potential could be monitored. This way it is centralized, by each parish, not by the hundreds of high schools.

The top players would continue moving through each youth league and as the man in charge of football it would be a rule that players playing in these leagues CANNOT play D Cup or Manning Cup. Now as a fan, would you rather watch mediocre players in the schoolboy leagues or the better players in the parish leagues?

If the academy does exist, the top players throughout the island would be pulled into the academy.

[Assasin]

In my opinion we either going to have a high school division where the top schools are in Division one and mostly concentrate on these schools or mandate parish under 16 and under 12 competitions where schools also enter and then select the best 18, and constantly train them with the best available coaches and allow them to play in d1 and open competition.

The Dcup first round is just too open and don't provide any competition in some of the zones. I would think so about the Mannning Cup too but I can't confirm that.

[Lazie]

I would really lke to hear how this shift would be accomplished though.

Let me help Lazie. Would you decrease the number of teams in the schoolboy competitions? Would you scrap it altogether, including U-13, U-14 nd U-16 competitions? Do you get more sponsorship for club age group competitions?

How exactly?

(Feel free to throw in some insult when you answer, Lazie.)

Get as defensive as you wish Mosiah, the fact is the current system has failed. As for sponsorship ... do a SWOT analysis of Jamaica's football and you'll see there are at LEAST 30 different leagues with sponsors. Cutting the number of leagues would free up sponsors to put money in the clubs or in the youth leagues. But HEY ... why mess with tradition?

[Assasin]

No they don't and that is why we have to spread the best coaches around. It can be done through JFF, Minister of Education or Minister of Sports where coaches work within region.

Currenlty I have a good friend who works with the Red Bull Academy setup and what they do is they provide assistance to any club who need it in coaching, administration and just even talent scouting. More of this needs to be done. In the Red Bulls and St.John's setup qualified coaches are sent to different club setup on a weekly basis.

[Mosiah]

Suh because we see the problem, that mean others cannot put forth solutions? Again, you're all thinking at the schoolboy level ... I'm starting before that.

Never made any such suggestion. Just wanted someone to give it some thought, some practical consideration. Because, it's not as if I think schoolboy football is the way forward, all by tself.

Anyway, it looks as if you did give it some thought, but I'm running out for a minute. Will respond when I get back.

Thanks!

[Assasin]

How do you have a islandwide d1 when most teams can't even pay travel within their own parish?

How many teams would be in the D2? and D3?

Where do you put all the other football teams?
when you scrap the FA league and the school boy league as we know it?

[Jangle]

Lazie, I agree with your blueprint up to a point. I disagree with: "as the man in charge of football it would be a rule that players playing in these leagues CANNOT play D Cup or Manning Cup." I think you need to separate schoolboy football from the national development of the sport, which is the JFF's responsibility. However, the JFF can use schoolboy football to HELP develop the sport, but not the other way around. How can you say to a learning institution that they should do away with a sport, which is part of their curriculum? The popularity of schoolboy football is not a fault of the schools, so why should they be punished or conform or be burdened with the national development of the sports. The schools seek their own sponsorship and run their own programs and competitions. Until the JFF can come up with a working plan to move the sport forward, then, they can work with the schools, but they must know their place.

I saw, in another post, where you asked the question about other footballing powers. I'll use England as an example. We cannot compete nor compare with them in terms of our football. I don't know if they even have inter-school competition (Dunny can answer that question). However, if you flip the sport to say, track & field, you will see where England is looking at the Jamaican model of inter-school competitions to help move the sport forward, nationally. The bottom line is that we have to use our resources wisely, but I don't think scrapping schoolboy football will advance our national program. In fact, I think scrapping it would be detrimental.

[Assasin]

yes England have schoolboy football. In England many youths graduate at 16 so thy can play ball or do A levels or college. Many players go from schoolboy to pro including kevin Nolan who talk about school. John terry and Lampard went to school at least till they were 14.

Schoolboy football is a recruiting ground for local club in England so Lazie can gwaan talk. School boy football must be encouraged. Lazie just vex that it has more support than even the DPL in Jamaica.