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Fine-tune preparations for Haiti clash
Sean Williams With the Reggae Boyz in Florida
Friday, May 22, 2009
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - Under a light drizzle and beaming sunshine, Jamaica's Reggae Boyz conducted a short but intense training session under the gaze of head coach John Barnes at the Holiday Inn Hotel training field here yesterday in preparation for tomorrow's friendly international against Haiti.
The Boyz, who hold onto their FIFA ranking of 70th, will tackle the Haitians (ranked 122) at Lockhart Stadium in a game dubbed 'Digicel Soccer Feva' at 7:00 pm as both nations fine-tune for the CONCACAF Gold Cup to be staged in 13 US cities from July 3-26.
Tivoli Gardens' striker Roland Dean (right) gets treatment to his right knee from Dr Charley Roberts (left) and masseur Pablo Carmargo at a Reggae Boyz training session at the Holiday Inn in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, yesterday. (Photo: Sean Williams)
Barnes, the former England winger and Liverpool legend, said he was satisfied with "the attitude and commitment" of the players since the start of camp in Jamaica on Monday, but singled out the local-based players for their response.
"I am very satisfied, as the local players have shown me... the willingness to listen and the learn, and in terms of ability, I don't see no difference between them and the players who play abroad, but in terms of experience there is a difference, but not in terms of ability," he said after yesterday's work-out before a small gathering of supporters.
The Jamaican-born coach, who succeeded Brazilian Rene Simoes as head of the senior team last December, outlined that today's training session which will take place at the match venue will emphasise tactical discipline.
"I will be doing more tactical work in terms of how we are going to play the game... I really think where we need to improve is in our positional and tactical discipline as the players tend to run around a lot," said Barnes.
In yesterday's one-hour drill, the players, in particular the local-based, exhibited their desire to impress the coach with intense play on and off the ball in a two-team scrimmage.
As a result Queen's Park Rangers defender Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart and Tivoli Gardens hitman Roland Dean had to have their ankle and knee iced after slight knocks, but will be fine for today's final training day.
Veteran Ian 'Pepe' Goodison of England's Tranmere Rovers, who did not travel with the team from Kingston yesterday, was due to arrive from London last night and was expected to join the team at its Fort Lauderdale base.
The highly anticipated match-up of the two teams will be the highlight as both peoples from the Jamaican and Haitian Diaspora celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with a Caribbean flavour.
Meanwhile, the promoter of the match-up, Rush Promotions, through its executive Jeremy Mullings, is reporting brisk sale of tickets.
Haiti and Jamaica first played each other in 1925 and their last meeting, according to eloratings.net, was back on October 1, 2006, where the Boyz were 2-0 winners at the National Stadium in a Digicel Caribbean Cup qualifier.
Jamaica have also secured games against El Salvador on May 30 at RFK Stadium in Washington and Central American champions Panama at the National Stadium on June 7.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport..._BOYZ_SET_.asp
Sean Williams With the Reggae Boyz in Florida
Friday, May 22, 2009
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - Under a light drizzle and beaming sunshine, Jamaica's Reggae Boyz conducted a short but intense training session under the gaze of head coach John Barnes at the Holiday Inn Hotel training field here yesterday in preparation for tomorrow's friendly international against Haiti.
The Boyz, who hold onto their FIFA ranking of 70th, will tackle the Haitians (ranked 122) at Lockhart Stadium in a game dubbed 'Digicel Soccer Feva' at 7:00 pm as both nations fine-tune for the CONCACAF Gold Cup to be staged in 13 US cities from July 3-26.
Tivoli Gardens' striker Roland Dean (right) gets treatment to his right knee from Dr Charley Roberts (left) and masseur Pablo Carmargo at a Reggae Boyz training session at the Holiday Inn in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, yesterday. (Photo: Sean Williams) Barnes, the former England winger and Liverpool legend, said he was satisfied with "the attitude and commitment" of the players since the start of camp in Jamaica on Monday, but singled out the local-based players for their response.
"I am very satisfied, as the local players have shown me... the willingness to listen and the learn, and in terms of ability, I don't see no difference between them and the players who play abroad, but in terms of experience there is a difference, but not in terms of ability," he said after yesterday's work-out before a small gathering of supporters.
The Jamaican-born coach, who succeeded Brazilian Rene Simoes as head of the senior team last December, outlined that today's training session which will take place at the match venue will emphasise tactical discipline.
"I will be doing more tactical work in terms of how we are going to play the game... I really think where we need to improve is in our positional and tactical discipline as the players tend to run around a lot," said Barnes.
In yesterday's one-hour drill, the players, in particular the local-based, exhibited their desire to impress the coach with intense play on and off the ball in a two-team scrimmage.
As a result Queen's Park Rangers defender Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart and Tivoli Gardens hitman Roland Dean had to have their ankle and knee iced after slight knocks, but will be fine for today's final training day.
Veteran Ian 'Pepe' Goodison of England's Tranmere Rovers, who did not travel with the team from Kingston yesterday, was due to arrive from London last night and was expected to join the team at its Fort Lauderdale base.
The highly anticipated match-up of the two teams will be the highlight as both peoples from the Jamaican and Haitian Diaspora celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with a Caribbean flavour.
Meanwhile, the promoter of the match-up, Rush Promotions, through its executive Jeremy Mullings, is reporting brisk sale of tickets.
Haiti and Jamaica first played each other in 1925 and their last meeting, according to eloratings.net, was back on October 1, 2006, where the Boyz were 2-0 winners at the National Stadium in a Digicel Caribbean Cup qualifier.
Jamaica have also secured games against El Salvador on May 30 at RFK Stadium in Washington and Central American champions Panama at the National Stadium on June 7.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport..._BOYZ_SET_.asp
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