'We have the strongest team'

[Lazie]

Published: Thursday | June 18, 2009




Jamaica's midfielder, Dane Richards, believes the Reggae Boyz are the 'strongest team on paper' and have a chance of winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup which kicks off in the United States on Friday, June 3.

"We are the strongest team without a doubt because we have more players coming from the English (Premier) League. We also have more European players and that's good to have. We have proved it so, without a doubt, we are," noted the dimunitive Richards when asked about Jamaica's chances of advancing from its group, in an exclusive interview with CONCACAF Gold Cup Weekly, a weekly series providing the latest information on the region's flagship tournament.

The Jamaicans were drawn in a tough Group A, pretty similar to the World Cup 2010 play-off semi-final zoning when they ended up in the Group of Death. The other countries in the grouping are Costa Rica, El Salvador and Canada.

Twelve teams will be involved in the round robin quadrangular play-offs, including Group B teams Grenada, Haiti, Honduras and hosts United States of America, along with Guadeloupe, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama, who comprise Group C.

Double-header

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz will kick off the competition in the 5 p.m. (9 p.m. Jamaica time) showdown against Canada at the Home Centre Depot in Los Angeles on June 3. The match is the first of a double- header which features Costa Rica tackling El Salvador in the feature engagement to start at 7 p.m. (11 p.m. Jamaica time).

Pointing to recent matchups, Richards observed that the Reggae Boyz compare favourably with the competition and hopes they will build on the positive results from the backend of their World Cup campaign and go all the way.

"We've met most of the best teams. We haven't met the United States (US), but we defeated Mexico, Honduras and then Canada, early this year," said Richards, who plays professionally in the US with New York Red Bulls. "Hopefully, we can work on that and improve, and hopefully we can be victorious."

The top two teams from each group, as well as the two best third-place teams, will advance to the quarter-finals that are scheduled for July 18-19, and Richards is confident Jamaica will make it beyond that stage.

"We just want to meet the US in the final, we don't want to meet them before that," the speedy wide-playing midfielder responded to queries concerning the Reggae Boyz's aspirations. "We haven't defeated them (US) in history, since we lost to them 1-0 at home. So we need to beat them and equalise. I'm looking for that in the final and hopefully we can beat them there for the first time."

Gold Cup Schedule

Friday, July 3: Los Angeles (The Home Depot Center)

Canada vs Jamaica: 5 p.m. (8 p.m. ET)

Costa Rica vs El Salvador, 7 p.m. (10 p.m. ET)

Saturday, July 4 - Seattle (Qwest Field)

Honduras vs Haiti, 4 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

Grenada vs USA, 6 p.m. (9 p.m. ET)

Sunday, July 5 - San Francisco (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum)

Panama vs Guadeloupe, 2 p.m. (5 p.m. ET)

Nicaragua vs Mexico, 4 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

Tuesday, July 7 - Columbus, Ohio (Crew Stadium)

Jamaica vs Costa Rica, 7 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

El Salvador vs Canada, 9 p.m. (9 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, July 8 - Washington (Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium)

Haiti vs Grenada, 7 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

USA vs Honduras, 9 p.m. (9 p.m. ET)

Thursday, July 9 - Houston (Reliant Stadium)

Guadeloupe vs Nicaragua, 7 p.m. (8 p.m. ET)

Mexico vs Panama, 9 p.m. (10 p.m. ET)

Friday, July 10 - Miami (Florida International University Stadium)

Costa Rica vs. Canada, 7 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

El Salvador vs. Jamaica, 9 p.m. (9 p.m. ET)

Saturday, July 11 - Boston (Gillette Stadium)

USA vs. Haiti, 7 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

Honduras vs Grenada, 9 p.m. (9 p.m. ET)

Sunday, July 12 - Phoenix (University of Phoenix Stadium)

Panama vs Nicaragua, 2 p.m. (5 p.m. ET)

Mexico vs Guadeloupe, 4 p.m. (7 p.m. ET)

Quarter-finals

Saturday, July 18 - Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)

Group A winner vs Group B runner-up, TBA (x)

Group B winner vs Group A/C third-place, TBA (x)

X-matches scheduled for 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. with order TBD

Sunday, July 19 - Dallas (Dallas Cowboys New Stadium)

Group C runner-up vs Group A runner-up, TBA (y) Group C winner vs. Group A/B third place, TBA (y) y-matches scheduled for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local (7 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET) with order TBD

Final

Sunday, July 26 - New York (Giants Stadium)

Semi-final winners, 3 p.m. (3 p.m. ET)

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...s/sports3.html

[Lazie]

... all I know is they need to make a statement in this competition ... no excuses.

[Hortical]

True dem need fi mek a statement. Mi waan see 11 ballers finish a game, and even though we nuh play our best away from Ja, mi waan see 100% effort.

[T.K.]

... all I know is they need to make a statement in this competition ... no excuses.

We should be in pretty good shape for this tournament I would think. With no confederations spot at stake and all the top teams in qualifying sending their B teams we couldn't ask for a better conditions. If we are ever gonna win a Gold Cup this is the one. Seeing how Canada will be the only team in our group at full strength I think our finish in group play will be a good indicator of how serious we are about winning this. - T.K.

[Karl]

Being confident is good!

[Mosiah]

"We are the strongest team without a doubt because we have more players coming from the English (Premier) League. We also have more European players and that's good to have. We have proved it so, without a doubt, we are," noted the dimunitive Richards

Huh?!?

The first scapegoat we'll find is the coach, Tappa.

[Dunny]

Huh?!?

The first scapegoat we'll find is the coach, Tappa.

Mosiah,it looks like u bracing yourself for a disappointing tournament.

[Don1]

Huh?!?

The first scapegoat we'll find is the coach, Tappa.

Where is the match practice with the championship squad?
Nonexistent.

In contrast the USAutomatons are getting excellent match practice.



Beating teams in full WC qualifying mode will be a task with a side just thrown together over 2 weeks ... but doable no doubt.

[Mosiah]

3 weeks ago I felt much better about it.

[HL]

Jamaica full-up-a skill ballaZ 1Don.

You should not be concerned.

What?...yuh making xcuse areddi?

The match-up between Costa Rica and El Salvador should be interesting!

[Don1]

Jamaica full-up-a skill ballaZ 1Don.

You should not be concerned.

What?...yuh making xcuse areddi?

The match-up between Costa Rica and El Salvador should be interesting!

I'm always concerned.

[Gamma]

smaddy wi sen' come call yuh in due course...nuh sweat...

[T.K.]

With no confederations spot at stake and all the top teams in qualifying sending their B teams we couldn't ask for a better conditions.

Sorry guys I was completely wrong on this. Looks like qualifying teams are sending legit squads to the tournament. - T.K.

Mexico set to bring veteran/youth mix to Gold Cup; Costa Rica, El Salvador preparing full squads

6/19/2009 - NEW YORK – Mexico will bring a mix of veteran fan favorites with younger recently established regulars, while teams from Costa Rica and El Salvador are planning on a nearly full-strength roster in their bids to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup next month.

All 12 teams have submitted their preliminary rosters, which must be reduced to 23 players no later than 24 hours before their first game.

The Gold Cup opens July 3 with a doubleheader at The Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, featuring Canada vs. Jamaica, and Costa Rica vs. El Salvador.

Gerardo Torrado, Omar Bravo and Jonny Magallon will comprise the basis of Mexico’s veteran core of a largely domestic roster with emerging stalwarts Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela, both European based, Memo Ochoa and Omar Arellano bolstering the roster.

Costa Rica, which leads the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying at its midpoint, will bring all but a handful of its regulars in a bid to win a first Gold Cup title. Los Ticos, who reached the final in 2000 before falling to Canada, will have its midfield contingent Celso Borges of Norwegian club Fredrikstad and Saprissa’s Walter Centeno along with strikers Andy Furtado and and Alvaro Saborio up front.

Christian Castillo, Eliseo Quintanilla and Rudis Corrales will lead an El Salvador team, looking to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time.

The United States, coming off the Confederations Cup in South Africa, will bring a mix of foreign and U.S.-based players, from Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan and Xerex striker Jozy Altidore to 2008 Olympians Stuart Holden of the Houston Dynamo and Robbie Rogers of the Columbus Crew.

[Jangle]

Good. I am still backing my Boyz.

[Dunny]

3 weeks ago I felt much better about it.

Why are you having doubts now,what as changed?