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Peeved 'Tappa'
Leads depleted squad to Ecuador friendly
By Howard Walker Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, August 09, 2009
A peeved national head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore was scheduled to leave the island this morning with the Reggae Boyz for New Jersey to face Ecuador, ruing the absence of a few local-based players who are taking part in the Bronx League.
Whitmore... you've called a squad of players and they're playing in the Bronx League
Jamaica will enter the game on Wednesday in the Giants Stadium, already without the core of their English-based players, and Whitmore was not amused.
"Again you have called a squad with a number of players and you get to understand that they are overseas playing in the Bronx League. That's something again I can't understand. Then you hear questions why you didn't call this and that," he told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
"We have Christopher Jackson from Tivoli who is in New York; Daniel Shaw, he came back from New York with injury. Sometimes I just don't understand. Desmond Breakenridge... it's a choice, they must know what they want to do," said Whitmore.
The team, which will be staying at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel, is without the English-based players because that league kicked off yesterday in earnest.
Captain Ricardo Gardner (Bolton), along with senior players Ian Goodison (Tranmere), Damion Stewart (Queen's Park Rangers), Claude Davis (Derby), Jamal Campbell Ryce (Barnsley), Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City), Marlon King (Wigan) and Jermaine Johnson (Sheffield United) will all be missing in action.
But Whitmore thinks this as an ideal opportunity for other players to step up to the plate and show their worth.
Said Whitmore: "Their (English) league started weekend and I want to look at some of the local younger players now. It's an opportunity for them. It's a chance for them to stamp their class and stake their claim."
Meanwhile, promising defender Jermaine Taylor makes a return to the team after being left out last season because of inactivity during the transfer struggle between Harbour View and present club St George's FC.
"Taylor have played two practice games and to be honest, he surprised me," said Whitmore of his fitness.
But with nothing really to motivate the players, having dropped out of the World Cup Qualifiers and with the CONCACAF Gold Cup over, the 1998 World Cup hero will have to try to blend the team with experience and youth for the future.
"The Gold Cup has finished and we're not in the World Cup, so we just have to split the team, half local and half overseas, each time we have a FIFA date," Whitmore pointed out.
"Like the St Kitts (August 16) game coming up, we're going to use the local players," he added.
The squad is a blend of players based in Scandinavia, the United States and Jamaica.
Harbour View's midfielder Lovel Plamer, who scored a free-kick in Jamaica's practice game against a Western All-Star aggregation last week, also makes a return to international football. Palmer last represented Jamaica two years ago against Iran.
Former Mona High Manning Cupper Dicoy Williams of Harbour View is one of three centre halves, along with Taylor and Shavar Thomas of Chivas USA.
Holding midfielder Khari Stephenson (Alesunds SK), Jason Morrison (Ferencvaros ), Rodolph Austin SK Brann) and the speedy Dane Richards (New York Red Bull) comprise the midfield.
Omar Cumming (Colorado Rapids), who scored Jamaica's only goal in the Gold Cup against El Salvador, leads a forward line which includes Luton Shelton (Aalborg), Navion Boyd (Tivoli Gardens), Keammar Daley (Tivoli Gardens) and Rivoli United's Devon Hodges.
Peeved 'Tappa'
Leads depleted squad to Ecuador friendly
By Howard Walker Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, August 09, 2009
A peeved national head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore was scheduled to leave the island this morning with the Reggae Boyz for New Jersey to face Ecuador, ruing the absence of a few local-based players who are taking part in the Bronx League.
Whitmore... you've called a squad of players and they're playing in the Bronx League
Jamaica will enter the game on Wednesday in the Giants Stadium, already without the core of their English-based players, and Whitmore was not amused.
"Again you have called a squad with a number of players and you get to understand that they are overseas playing in the Bronx League. That's something again I can't understand. Then you hear questions why you didn't call this and that," he told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
"We have Christopher Jackson from Tivoli who is in New York; Daniel Shaw, he came back from New York with injury. Sometimes I just don't understand. Desmond Breakenridge... it's a choice, they must know what they want to do," said Whitmore.
The team, which will be staying at the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel, is without the English-based players because that league kicked off yesterday in earnest.
Captain Ricardo Gardner (Bolton), along with senior players Ian Goodison (Tranmere), Damion Stewart (Queen's Park Rangers), Claude Davis (Derby), Jamal Campbell Ryce (Barnsley), Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City), Marlon King (Wigan) and Jermaine Johnson (Sheffield United) will all be missing in action.
But Whitmore thinks this as an ideal opportunity for other players to step up to the plate and show their worth.
Said Whitmore: "Their (English) league started weekend and I want to look at some of the local younger players now. It's an opportunity for them. It's a chance for them to stamp their class and stake their claim."
Meanwhile, promising defender Jermaine Taylor makes a return to the team after being left out last season because of inactivity during the transfer struggle between Harbour View and present club St George's FC.
"Taylor have played two practice games and to be honest, he surprised me," said Whitmore of his fitness.
But with nothing really to motivate the players, having dropped out of the World Cup Qualifiers and with the CONCACAF Gold Cup over, the 1998 World Cup hero will have to try to blend the team with experience and youth for the future.
"The Gold Cup has finished and we're not in the World Cup, so we just have to split the team, half local and half overseas, each time we have a FIFA date," Whitmore pointed out.
"Like the St Kitts (August 16) game coming up, we're going to use the local players," he added.
The squad is a blend of players based in Scandinavia, the United States and Jamaica.
Harbour View's midfielder Lovel Plamer, who scored a free-kick in Jamaica's practice game against a Western All-Star aggregation last week, also makes a return to international football. Palmer last represented Jamaica two years ago against Iran.
Former Mona High Manning Cupper Dicoy Williams of Harbour View is one of three centre halves, along with Taylor and Shavar Thomas of Chivas USA.
Holding midfielder Khari Stephenson (Alesunds SK), Jason Morrison (Ferencvaros ), Rodolph Austin SK Brann) and the speedy Dane Richards (New York Red Bull) comprise the midfield.
Omar Cumming (Colorado Rapids), who scored Jamaica's only goal in the Gold Cup against El Salvador, leads a forward line which includes Luton Shelton (Aalborg), Navion Boyd (Tivoli Gardens), Keammar Daley (Tivoli Gardens) and Rivoli United's Devon Hodges.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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