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Journalists need to play their parts to spread the words that the football Jamaica is sinking to lowest of lowest.
Reading the Editorial piece about”Bora and World Cup qualification” in (Observer 18) was interesting to read. Even though, according to the newspaper, the deal is not yet in black and white but looking good so far. Meneer Milutinovic’s (Meneer a Dutch word for Mr.) aim is to take us back to Africa (Road to Africa), the land of our ancestors. But I am afraid the Observer seems to over look some very important things in football, which Jamaica, in particular is lacking. For example, sport facilities; which include good football fields, youth academy, sport bars/shops own by the club at the grounds for the clubs to make money, an experience caretaker to keep the playing surface in top-notch form, and even a club doctor. The lack of respect, indiscipline, behavioural problem of players on and off the field are some of the things that are strangling over talented young players and country’s football.
There are some people who are going to say that Jamaica reached the 98 World Cup with little or no facilities. That is so true, but do we ever stop to think what the reasons is for that success was. Was it because we had a good coach, or a very good team at the right moment, the oppositions were not so good, God answered our prayers or we got the full support of the Jamaican people. All I can say is that our football declined so badly it is like hot lava coming down from a volcano after the World Cup 98 final in France. The facts are there to back up my point when you read the next paragraphs.
1998- They were hot-air balloon
It was a year that all Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica will remember for the rest of their natural lives, it was a time that brings joy to our faces, when the country was united for the first time, and the time when we could really be proud of our achievement. It was 1998, when we became the first English speaking Caribbean country to grace the most watched sport on earth- the World Cup football. Was it the beginning of a new era in football for Jamaica? Would this be the first of many times we would be playing in the World Cup? Those questions were not ready to be answered just yet because we have better things to think about, like facing the world that is waiting for us in France. I was very privileged to be there to witness it for myself. It was a night to remember in Lens, France watching Jamaica taking on another debutant, Croatia in the group game. Even though we went down 3-1 to Croatia, the after party in the city centre was a sight to behold. Watching all sort of people and the Croatian fans dancing reggae in the street of Lens was something that should not be missed at any given time. I reached home 5 a. m. the following morning after a great evening. How can we not love and wish to see more of this happiness taking place after games of our national team in World Cup final?
It was a long road to reach the final and something that was worth the wait. The national team played a total of 23 games from start (qualifying games) to finish (include world cup final games). Played: 23, Won: 12, Drew: 6, Lost: 5. GF: 27, GA: 24 and PTS: 42. At the World Cup itself, we won 1, drew 0, and lost 2 and that means we came home with 3 valid World cup points to place us 56th of the 75 countries that played in the World Cup finals. We are craving for more success.
2002- They were mud sliding.
What make them think that we were not looking forward to go the 2002 World Cup final? How can we not want to dance to the same “sanky” in Korea/Japan like we did in France? Jamaicans are extrovert people who like to have fun and watching our national team in the world cup final is more that fun. Seeing that Small Island in the World Cup is like sex, or eating a plate of curried goat with a cool red stripe beer, or watching a game of curried goat cricket on a Sunday afterno
Reading the Editorial piece about”Bora and World Cup qualification” in (Observer 18) was interesting to read. Even though, according to the newspaper, the deal is not yet in black and white but looking good so far. Meneer Milutinovic’s (Meneer a Dutch word for Mr.) aim is to take us back to Africa (Road to Africa), the land of our ancestors. But I am afraid the Observer seems to over look some very important things in football, which Jamaica, in particular is lacking. For example, sport facilities; which include good football fields, youth academy, sport bars/shops own by the club at the grounds for the clubs to make money, an experience caretaker to keep the playing surface in top-notch form, and even a club doctor. The lack of respect, indiscipline, behavioural problem of players on and off the field are some of the things that are strangling over talented young players and country’s football.
There are some people who are going to say that Jamaica reached the 98 World Cup with little or no facilities. That is so true, but do we ever stop to think what the reasons is for that success was. Was it because we had a good coach, or a very good team at the right moment, the oppositions were not so good, God answered our prayers or we got the full support of the Jamaican people. All I can say is that our football declined so badly it is like hot lava coming down from a volcano after the World Cup 98 final in France. The facts are there to back up my point when you read the next paragraphs.
1998- They were hot-air balloon
It was a year that all Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica will remember for the rest of their natural lives, it was a time that brings joy to our faces, when the country was united for the first time, and the time when we could really be proud of our achievement. It was 1998, when we became the first English speaking Caribbean country to grace the most watched sport on earth- the World Cup football. Was it the beginning of a new era in football for Jamaica? Would this be the first of many times we would be playing in the World Cup? Those questions were not ready to be answered just yet because we have better things to think about, like facing the world that is waiting for us in France. I was very privileged to be there to witness it for myself. It was a night to remember in Lens, France watching Jamaica taking on another debutant, Croatia in the group game. Even though we went down 3-1 to Croatia, the after party in the city centre was a sight to behold. Watching all sort of people and the Croatian fans dancing reggae in the street of Lens was something that should not be missed at any given time. I reached home 5 a. m. the following morning after a great evening. How can we not love and wish to see more of this happiness taking place after games of our national team in World Cup final?
It was a long road to reach the final and something that was worth the wait. The national team played a total of 23 games from start (qualifying games) to finish (include world cup final games). Played: 23, Won: 12, Drew: 6, Lost: 5. GF: 27, GA: 24 and PTS: 42. At the World Cup itself, we won 1, drew 0, and lost 2 and that means we came home with 3 valid World cup points to place us 56th of the 75 countries that played in the World Cup finals. We are craving for more success.
2002- They were mud sliding.
What make them think that we were not looking forward to go the 2002 World Cup final? How can we not want to dance to the same “sanky” in Korea/Japan like we did in France? Jamaicans are extrovert people who like to have fun and watching our national team in the world cup final is more that fun. Seeing that Small Island in the World Cup is like sex, or eating a plate of curried goat with a cool red stripe beer, or watching a game of curried goat cricket on a Sunday afterno
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