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JFF execs say investment in U-17s bore fruit
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer
Thursday, February 24, 2011
BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer
Thursday, February 24, 2011
CATHERINE HALL, St James — Jamaica's investment in the U-17 team to help prepare for the CONCACAF qualifying tournament here in Montego Bay was "money well spent", says president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Captain Horace Burrell.
While being mobbed by well-wishers minutes after Jamaica beat Honduras 2-1 in their quarter-final game at the Montego Bay Sports Complex yesterday, Burrell told the Observer that "this is a tremendous feeling right now and it showed our investment in our youth was a good one and a sound one".
General secretary Horace Reid, who stood away from the wild celebrations that greeted the final whistle, was nonetheless just as pleased and said his feeling was one of "relief".
Reid told the Observer, "It was a journey" that saw many ups and downs, but he was always "confident in this group of youngsters and their capacity to deliver when it matters most".
He said he was never worried by the results of the practice games as he said he saw incremental improvement with each passing game and said this success was the "culmination of good preparation".
Reid said that after the first game (a 2-2 draw against Trinidad) when the players showed a lot of pressure, "once they got that out of the way, I knew we would do well".
Reid said that after the first game (a 2-2 draw against Trinidad) when the players showed a lot of pressure, "once they got that out of the way, I knew we would do well".
His said his confidence was boosted by a one-week trip to Brazil to observe the team on their six-week camp and said he knew once they put everything together they would reap the rewards.
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