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FROM THE BOUNDARY - Welcome Bora and good luck!
published: Friday | December 22, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody yJQdZ="true">
Tony Becca
The Jamaica Football Feder-ation's new technical director, Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, has started working and every Jamaican wishes him well as he attempts to lift the standard of the country's football and in the process get Jamaica qualified for the next World Cup Finals, scheduled for South Africa in 2010.
From all reports, Milutinovic is a knowledgeable man and a disciplinarian. Based on his achievements, he is a great coach and Jamaica's football is fortunate to have him as its technical director.
If there is any man who can get Jamaica to South Africa, that man is Milutinovic - the man who, as coach, has guided five teams into the finals, four of them into the second round, one of which, Mexico in 1986, made it to the quarter-finals.
Tough on discipline
A week or two ago, I met the Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency, Leonora Rueda, at the police officers' Christmas party. We spoke for a short time about football and she told me that Jamaica is lucky.
According to her, Milutinovic is a nice, easy-going man, a great football coach and if is that is true, which I believe it is, Jamaica is indeed lucky.
The Mexican Ambassador went on to say, however, that one of the reasons why Milutinovic is a great coach and why he has been so successful is because, although he is a nice man, he is also a tough man when it comes to discipline - to practice and training. And if that is so, based on Jamaica's football history, that again is good news for Jamaica's football.
As the technical director has found out already and just after watching a few local matches, Jamaicans are talented.
However, he has also found out that as talented as they are with the ball at their feet, the mental part of their game, the ability to read the game, is lacking and that there is work to be done in that area of their play.
As good or as great as he is, there is a problem that Milutinovic will face. It is a big problem and it is this: How will he be able to coach the team properly? How will he prepare the team with some players at home, some in the United States of America and some in Europe?
Even if it is physically possible, even if Milutinovic can wave a magic wand and get them playing like one well-oiled machine in a few days, it will take a lot of money to fly the players in and out of Jamaica and especially where those in Europe are concerned, those who will have to come in a few days earlier before a match, it will take a lot of money for accommodation and other expenses.
Supporting football
Football, however, is big in Jamaica. Football is important to a wide cross-section of the society. Qualifying for the World Cup finals again would be good for the psyche of the people.
If marketed properly, qualifying for the World Cup could be good, for the economy of the country and providing the sick and the old, the nurses, the teachers and the police, education, health and housing do not suffer, the Government, if it can, should assist the football federation.
Like the coach's salary, however, most of the money needed for football, most of the money needed to train a Jamaica team that is good enough to qualify for the World Cup Finals, should come from football and the private sector.
Red Stripe has started the ball rolling. Thanks to them and hopefully others will follow.
In the meantime, welcome Bora and good luck in your bid to get Jamaica to South Africa and to make it, for you, number six.
<IMG src="http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20061222/sports/images/Layout1_1_PGGWKCoachBorAM.
published: Friday | December 22, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody yJQdZ="true">
Tony Becca
The Jamaica Football Feder-ation's new technical director, Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, has started working and every Jamaican wishes him well as he attempts to lift the standard of the country's football and in the process get Jamaica qualified for the next World Cup Finals, scheduled for South Africa in 2010.
From all reports, Milutinovic is a knowledgeable man and a disciplinarian. Based on his achievements, he is a great coach and Jamaica's football is fortunate to have him as its technical director.
If there is any man who can get Jamaica to South Africa, that man is Milutinovic - the man who, as coach, has guided five teams into the finals, four of them into the second round, one of which, Mexico in 1986, made it to the quarter-finals.
Tough on discipline
A week or two ago, I met the Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency, Leonora Rueda, at the police officers' Christmas party. We spoke for a short time about football and she told me that Jamaica is lucky.
According to her, Milutinovic is a nice, easy-going man, a great football coach and if is that is true, which I believe it is, Jamaica is indeed lucky.
The Mexican Ambassador went on to say, however, that one of the reasons why Milutinovic is a great coach and why he has been so successful is because, although he is a nice man, he is also a tough man when it comes to discipline - to practice and training. And if that is so, based on Jamaica's football history, that again is good news for Jamaica's football.
As the technical director has found out already and just after watching a few local matches, Jamaicans are talented.
However, he has also found out that as talented as they are with the ball at their feet, the mental part of their game, the ability to read the game, is lacking and that there is work to be done in that area of their play.
As good or as great as he is, there is a problem that Milutinovic will face. It is a big problem and it is this: How will he be able to coach the team properly? How will he prepare the team with some players at home, some in the United States of America and some in Europe?
Even if it is physically possible, even if Milutinovic can wave a magic wand and get them playing like one well-oiled machine in a few days, it will take a lot of money to fly the players in and out of Jamaica and especially where those in Europe are concerned, those who will have to come in a few days earlier before a match, it will take a lot of money for accommodation and other expenses.
Supporting football
Football, however, is big in Jamaica. Football is important to a wide cross-section of the society. Qualifying for the World Cup finals again would be good for the psyche of the people.
If marketed properly, qualifying for the World Cup could be good, for the economy of the country and providing the sick and the old, the nurses, the teachers and the police, education, health and housing do not suffer, the Government, if it can, should assist the football federation.
Like the coach's salary, however, most of the money needed for football, most of the money needed to train a Jamaica team that is good enough to qualify for the World Cup Finals, should come from football and the private sector.
Red Stripe has started the ball rolling. Thanks to them and hopefully others will follow.
In the meantime, welcome Bora and good luck in your bid to get Jamaica to South Africa and to make it, for you, number six.
<IMG src="http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20061222/sports/images/Layout1_1_PGGWKCoachBorAM.
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