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Confident Reggae Boyz face Antigua
Published: Saturday | November 27, 2010
Dane Richards
Luton Shelton
Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport SAINTE-LUCE, Martinique:
JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz are aiming to kick off their title defence for the Digicel Caribbean Cup with a victory over Antiqua and Barbuda, when the teams clash in the feature encounter of a Group I double-header at the 3,600-capacity Riviere Pilote Stadium, Martinique, this evening at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. Jamaica time).
The game will be preceded by a 5 p.m. (4 p.m. Jamaica time) match-up pitting the group's other competitors, Guyana and Guadeloupe.
They will play each other on a round-robin format with matches every other day. The top two in each group advance to the semi-final stage and importantly, the eight-nation tournament's top four to next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament to be held in the United States.
Four-time champs
Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Grenada and hosts Martinique, are playing in Group H.
Jamaica, on the strength of their players, their record of having qualified for the World Cup Finals (1998), and winning the regional championship on four occasions, are a regional powerhouse and favoured to claim one of those spots to the Gold Cup.
Nonetheless, their coach, Theodore Whitmore, says they cannot take anything for granted, even as they play opponents who have not made any serious mark in the region, yet world football.
"Everybody's been talking about Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago," Whitmore said, in obvious reference to the expectation that either country will win the championship.
It's a view generally shared among players, but Whitmore, whose team beat Grenada 2-1 in Kingston to lift the title in 2008, said they will not be taking the Antiguans lightly.
"We've prepared ourselves this week for that (complacency). I keep telling the players these games are going to be more difficult than playing against the Costa Ricas, the Argentinas, so it's something we've been preparing for and we'll be up for the battle come tomorrow afternoon," he stressed.
The Boyz have played Costa Rica twice in their build-up to this tournament, winning 1-0 in Kingston on a Ryan Johnson goal, before tying goalless in Fort Lauderdale last week Wednesday.
That was their last prep game, one that was missed by Johnson, the United States-based Major League Soccer striker who has been key among the 81st-ranked Boyz with goalscoring, since joining the team almost a year ago.
Johnson also scored in a 2-1 away loss against the mighty Argentineans and flew in to join the Jamaica team last night, after its only training session.
A number of other overseas-based professionals are also in the Jamaica starting line-up, adding strength to all departments of what appears a solid unit. They include prolific scorer Luton Shelton, who plays in Norway, top MLS attackers, the dangerous Omar Cummings, who won the MLS Cup at the weekend with Colorado Rapids and Red Bulls winger, Dane Richards, whose skill, pace and trickery are expected to provide a major influence.
Norway-based Rudolph Austin is expected to power the midfield with his energetic play and strong kicking, along with Shaun Francis and Lovel Palmer, while captain and central defender, Shavar Thomas brings MLS experience and quality to a defence with seasoned Jermaine Taylor and Adrian Reid and the outstanding goalkeeper, Dwayne Miller, who excelled to win top awards in his debut season in Norway.
Despite all that attacking quality and more from the local shores, headlined by Tivoli Gardens' creative midfielder Keammar Daley, Whitmore remains guarded and will not look past his opponents.
"What I want to take into consideration is it's our first game - against Antigua - and we've to get past Antigua if we want to defend our title," he pointed out. "You win your first game (and) you're in with a chance for the semi-final, so we want to give it our all. It's the first game and that will determine how far we go in the competition."
The Jamaican coach and one-time midfield maestro reckons the Antiguans are "decent", after getting a first-hand look while conducting a clinic and watching final-round qualifiers less than a fortnight ago in Antigua.
"I've seen the Antiguan team a couple weeks back ... based on what I've seen it's a pretty decent team, but any team playing against the Jamaica team it's gonna be tough," he said.
The 115th-ranked Antiguans, meanwhile, are anticipating a tough challenge.
"We understand and realise it's going to be a tough match for us, but we're as prepared as we can be and hopefully at the end of the day we can get a positive result," said Billy McEwen, their technical director, who has been with the team since February.
NOTE: Cuba surprised Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 in last night's opening match. At press time hosts Martinique were in action against Grenada.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports1.html
Published: Saturday | November 27, 2010
Dane Richards
Luton Shelton
Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport SAINTE-LUCE, Martinique:
JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz are aiming to kick off their title defence for the Digicel Caribbean Cup with a victory over Antiqua and Barbuda, when the teams clash in the feature encounter of a Group I double-header at the 3,600-capacity Riviere Pilote Stadium, Martinique, this evening at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. Jamaica time).
The game will be preceded by a 5 p.m. (4 p.m. Jamaica time) match-up pitting the group's other competitors, Guyana and Guadeloupe.
They will play each other on a round-robin format with matches every other day. The top two in each group advance to the semi-final stage and importantly, the eight-nation tournament's top four to next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament to be held in the United States.
Four-time champs
Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Grenada and hosts Martinique, are playing in Group H.
Jamaica, on the strength of their players, their record of having qualified for the World Cup Finals (1998), and winning the regional championship on four occasions, are a regional powerhouse and favoured to claim one of those spots to the Gold Cup.
Nonetheless, their coach, Theodore Whitmore, says they cannot take anything for granted, even as they play opponents who have not made any serious mark in the region, yet world football.
"Everybody's been talking about Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago," Whitmore said, in obvious reference to the expectation that either country will win the championship.
It's a view generally shared among players, but Whitmore, whose team beat Grenada 2-1 in Kingston to lift the title in 2008, said they will not be taking the Antiguans lightly.
"We've prepared ourselves this week for that (complacency). I keep telling the players these games are going to be more difficult than playing against the Costa Ricas, the Argentinas, so it's something we've been preparing for and we'll be up for the battle come tomorrow afternoon," he stressed.
The Boyz have played Costa Rica twice in their build-up to this tournament, winning 1-0 in Kingston on a Ryan Johnson goal, before tying goalless in Fort Lauderdale last week Wednesday.
That was their last prep game, one that was missed by Johnson, the United States-based Major League Soccer striker who has been key among the 81st-ranked Boyz with goalscoring, since joining the team almost a year ago.
Johnson also scored in a 2-1 away loss against the mighty Argentineans and flew in to join the Jamaica team last night, after its only training session.
A number of other overseas-based professionals are also in the Jamaica starting line-up, adding strength to all departments of what appears a solid unit. They include prolific scorer Luton Shelton, who plays in Norway, top MLS attackers, the dangerous Omar Cummings, who won the MLS Cup at the weekend with Colorado Rapids and Red Bulls winger, Dane Richards, whose skill, pace and trickery are expected to provide a major influence.
Norway-based Rudolph Austin is expected to power the midfield with his energetic play and strong kicking, along with Shaun Francis and Lovel Palmer, while captain and central defender, Shavar Thomas brings MLS experience and quality to a defence with seasoned Jermaine Taylor and Adrian Reid and the outstanding goalkeeper, Dwayne Miller, who excelled to win top awards in his debut season in Norway.
Despite all that attacking quality and more from the local shores, headlined by Tivoli Gardens' creative midfielder Keammar Daley, Whitmore remains guarded and will not look past his opponents.
"What I want to take into consideration is it's our first game - against Antigua - and we've to get past Antigua if we want to defend our title," he pointed out. "You win your first game (and) you're in with a chance for the semi-final, so we want to give it our all. It's the first game and that will determine how far we go in the competition."
The Jamaican coach and one-time midfield maestro reckons the Antiguans are "decent", after getting a first-hand look while conducting a clinic and watching final-round qualifiers less than a fortnight ago in Antigua.
"I've seen the Antiguan team a couple weeks back ... based on what I've seen it's a pretty decent team, but any team playing against the Jamaica team it's gonna be tough," he said.
The 115th-ranked Antiguans, meanwhile, are anticipating a tough challenge.
"We understand and realise it's going to be a tough match for us, but we're as prepared as we can be and hopefully at the end of the day we can get a positive result," said Billy McEwen, their technical director, who has been with the team since February.
NOTE: Cuba surprised Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 in last night's opening match. At press time hosts Martinique were in action against Grenada.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports1.html
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