J'can goalkeepers on medical alert
Sean Williams with the Reggae Boyz in Bloemfontein, South Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Jamaica's two goalkeepers - Portmore United's Shawn Sawyers and Harbour View's Dwayne Miller - have been put on a medical watch list by team doctor Mark Sanderson ahead of their friendly international game against hosts South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
MILLER... recently aggravated shoulder injury
But Dr Sanderson sought to point out that the players' injuries will not necessarily prevent the 'keepers from playing in the match scheduled for an 8:30 pm (1:30 pm Jamaica time) kick-off at the Free State Stadium at Vodacom Park.
"I'm just a bit concerned about the two goalkeepers who are carrying injuries. Sawyers has a chronic knee injury which flared up since he has been sitting down for this protracted period of time (travelling from Atlanta to Johannesburg), and Miller has a shoulder injury that he aggravated the day before leaving Jamaica," said Sanderson.
"(The injuries are) chronic in the sense that the players have been carrying them for a period of time, but I don't think they will prevent them from playing," he added.
The Reggae Boyz arrived in South Africa, the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts, Friday night after a torturous 14 1/2-hour trans-Atlantic flight from Atlanta in the USA to Johannesburg, logging some 8,000 miles in the process.
When the group of 17 players and nine officials landed at the OR Tambo International Airport at about 5:15 pm (10:15 am Jamaica time) on Delta flight 200, the impact of the tortuous trip was evident on the faces of all.
Added to that, the group was delayed by some two hours at the airport as Colorado Rapids striker Omar Cummings was held up by a matter regarding his passport.
But after such a stressful trip, Dr Sanderson warned against the possible dehydration of players.
"The fundamental thing that we need to worry about is dehydration from such a long flight. But we have instructed them in Jamaica that they need to drink a lot of fluid to prevent dehydration," said the medical doctor, who has worked with many of the national teams, including the women's.
Additionally, the common effect of jetlag that results from long-haul flights crossing time zones will be an area of concern for the team.
"Rest and an increase in fluid intake have been found to decrease the risk of jetlag," noted Dr Sanderson.
Another possibility that could arise from these long flights, in his professional opinion, is that "************************************s could form in the lower limbs" because the players have been sitting down for a protracted period of time. "What I have seen in my experience with long travel is that a lot of players will get dehydrated early and develop cramps while playing," Sanderson explained.
Still tired, the Boyz had a light workout yesterday "just to get their legs going", and are expected to intensify their preparation for the game today and tomorrow with more strategic sessions.
The team, which arrived in Bloemfontein yesterday, was joined late Friday night by the England-based duo of Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Jermaine Johnson. Hungary-based Jason Morrison is expected to arrive today to complete coach Theodore Whitmore's 20-man squad.
In a friendly at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth yesterday, South Africa and Japan ended 0-0.
Squad - Dwayne Miller, Dicoy Williams, Jermaine Taylor, Keammar Daley, Richard Edwards, Brian Bayliss, Lovell Palmer, Devon Hodges, Adrian Reid, Shawn Sawyers, Navion Boyd, Eric Vernon, Rodolph Austin, Demar Phillips, Omar Cummings, Dane Richards, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Shavar Thomas, Jermaine Johnson and Jason Morrison.
Sean Williams with the Reggae Boyz in Bloemfontein, South Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Jamaica's two goalkeepers - Portmore United's Shawn Sawyers and Harbour View's Dwayne Miller - have been put on a medical watch list by team doctor Mark Sanderson ahead of their friendly international game against hosts South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
MILLER... recently aggravated shoulder injury
But Dr Sanderson sought to point out that the players' injuries will not necessarily prevent the 'keepers from playing in the match scheduled for an 8:30 pm (1:30 pm Jamaica time) kick-off at the Free State Stadium at Vodacom Park.
"I'm just a bit concerned about the two goalkeepers who are carrying injuries. Sawyers has a chronic knee injury which flared up since he has been sitting down for this protracted period of time (travelling from Atlanta to Johannesburg), and Miller has a shoulder injury that he aggravated the day before leaving Jamaica," said Sanderson.
"(The injuries are) chronic in the sense that the players have been carrying them for a period of time, but I don't think they will prevent them from playing," he added.
The Reggae Boyz arrived in South Africa, the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts, Friday night after a torturous 14 1/2-hour trans-Atlantic flight from Atlanta in the USA to Johannesburg, logging some 8,000 miles in the process.
When the group of 17 players and nine officials landed at the OR Tambo International Airport at about 5:15 pm (10:15 am Jamaica time) on Delta flight 200, the impact of the tortuous trip was evident on the faces of all.
Added to that, the group was delayed by some two hours at the airport as Colorado Rapids striker Omar Cummings was held up by a matter regarding his passport.
But after such a stressful trip, Dr Sanderson warned against the possible dehydration of players.
"The fundamental thing that we need to worry about is dehydration from such a long flight. But we have instructed them in Jamaica that they need to drink a lot of fluid to prevent dehydration," said the medical doctor, who has worked with many of the national teams, including the women's.
Additionally, the common effect of jetlag that results from long-haul flights crossing time zones will be an area of concern for the team.
"Rest and an increase in fluid intake have been found to decrease the risk of jetlag," noted Dr Sanderson.
Another possibility that could arise from these long flights, in his professional opinion, is that "************************************s could form in the lower limbs" because the players have been sitting down for a protracted period of time. "What I have seen in my experience with long travel is that a lot of players will get dehydrated early and develop cramps while playing," Sanderson explained.
Still tired, the Boyz had a light workout yesterday "just to get their legs going", and are expected to intensify their preparation for the game today and tomorrow with more strategic sessions.
The team, which arrived in Bloemfontein yesterday, was joined late Friday night by the England-based duo of Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Jermaine Johnson. Hungary-based Jason Morrison is expected to arrive today to complete coach Theodore Whitmore's 20-man squad.
In a friendly at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth yesterday, South Africa and Japan ended 0-0.
Squad - Dwayne Miller, Dicoy Williams, Jermaine Taylor, Keammar Daley, Richard Edwards, Brian Bayliss, Lovell Palmer, Devon Hodges, Adrian Reid, Shawn Sawyers, Navion Boyd, Eric Vernon, Rodolph Austin, Demar Phillips, Omar Cummings, Dane Richards, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Shavar Thomas, Jermaine Johnson and Jason Morrison.
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