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Battle-weary Under-17s arrive home today
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Jamaica's Under-17 footballers are on their way home following their firs-round exit from the FIFA World Cup and head coach Wendell Downwell says had it not being for the youngster's naivety, they could still be in the tournament.
The Jamaican delegation are scheduled to arrive home 1:30 pm today after travelling from Monterrey to Mexico City on Sunday.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico —Jamaica’s head of delegation Michael Ricketts (right) leads the Young Reggae Boyz to the Monterrey Airport on their way to Mexico City on Sunday after being eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on Friday. (Photo: Howard Walker)
MEXICO CITY, Mexico —Jamaica’s head of delegation Michael Ricketts (right) leads the Young Reggae Boyz to the Monterrey Airport on their way to Mexico City on Sunday after being eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on Friday. (Photo: Howard Walker)
They finished at the bottom of the four-team group with one point, behind Argentina (three points), France (five) and surprise group winners Japan (seven).
Jamaica lost 0-1 to Japan, 1-2 to Argentina and drew 1-1 with France after taking an early lead.
"If you look at the decisions that we made especially from the players on the field, I would say they were a little naïve. But I wouldn't blame them because it came as a result of the lack of international exposure," Downswell pointed out.
"We started out tentatively at first where our emphasis was on team shape and organisation. Then we switched that to individual responsibilities and shuffled a few players after we realised that our offensive thrust was not the best," said Downswell, as he relaxed in the lobby of the Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City.
"It was unfortunate against Argentina... and we came up against France and our aim was to play attractive football and show the world. When you looked at the overall performance, I think they did well," he pointed out.
"When you look at it from a population standpoint, you look at a Japan with over 100 million; France somewhere about 60 million and Argentina near 50; we are 2.5 million, so if you take those factors into consideration, I think we have done ourselves proud," Downswell argued.
With the final 16 teams to the second round all but known, Argentina who qualified from Jamaica's group as the best third-placed team, will play England and the coach is disappointed that it is not Jamaica playing the Motherland.
"A victory against France would have put us ahead of Argentina in the next round as we have a far superior goal average," he noted.
The head coach also lamented the missed opportunity in exposing the players to the camp in Valencia, Spain, which he claims would have done them a world of good heading into the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the young Reggae Boyz who exited the tournament on Friday, left their Presidente Intercontinental Hotel on Sunday afternoon enroute to Mexico City where they will stay overnight before heading to Jamaica via Panama.
Normally after dropping out of a FIFA tournament, the team would leave the following day and the Jamaicans should have left on Saturday but they couldn't get onto a Copa Airline flight which was fully booked.
With flights scheduled for only Saturdays and Tuesdays to Jamaica, the team took the time for some sighting-seeing and shopping at the mall and got some well needed rest.
It has been a long road for the teenagers spending six weeks in Brazil alongside several camps in Jamaica, missing school and will finally get a chance to spend quality time with their families.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1QfbhUjsY
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Jamaica's Under-17 footballers are on their way home following their firs-round exit from the FIFA World Cup and head coach Wendell Downwell says had it not being for the youngster's naivety, they could still be in the tournament.
The Jamaican delegation are scheduled to arrive home 1:30 pm today after travelling from Monterrey to Mexico City on Sunday.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico —Jamaica’s head of delegation Michael Ricketts (right) leads the Young Reggae Boyz to the Monterrey Airport on their way to Mexico City on Sunday after being eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on Friday. (Photo: Howard Walker)
MEXICO CITY, Mexico —Jamaica’s head of delegation Michael Ricketts (right) leads the Young Reggae Boyz to the Monterrey Airport on their way to Mexico City on Sunday after being eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on Friday. (Photo: Howard Walker)
They finished at the bottom of the four-team group with one point, behind Argentina (three points), France (five) and surprise group winners Japan (seven).
Jamaica lost 0-1 to Japan, 1-2 to Argentina and drew 1-1 with France after taking an early lead.
"If you look at the decisions that we made especially from the players on the field, I would say they were a little naïve. But I wouldn't blame them because it came as a result of the lack of international exposure," Downswell pointed out.
"We started out tentatively at first where our emphasis was on team shape and organisation. Then we switched that to individual responsibilities and shuffled a few players after we realised that our offensive thrust was not the best," said Downswell, as he relaxed in the lobby of the Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City.
"It was unfortunate against Argentina... and we came up against France and our aim was to play attractive football and show the world. When you looked at the overall performance, I think they did well," he pointed out.
"When you look at it from a population standpoint, you look at a Japan with over 100 million; France somewhere about 60 million and Argentina near 50; we are 2.5 million, so if you take those factors into consideration, I think we have done ourselves proud," Downswell argued.
With the final 16 teams to the second round all but known, Argentina who qualified from Jamaica's group as the best third-placed team, will play England and the coach is disappointed that it is not Jamaica playing the Motherland.
"A victory against France would have put us ahead of Argentina in the next round as we have a far superior goal average," he noted.
The head coach also lamented the missed opportunity in exposing the players to the camp in Valencia, Spain, which he claims would have done them a world of good heading into the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the young Reggae Boyz who exited the tournament on Friday, left their Presidente Intercontinental Hotel on Sunday afternoon enroute to Mexico City where they will stay overnight before heading to Jamaica via Panama.
Normally after dropping out of a FIFA tournament, the team would leave the following day and the Jamaicans should have left on Saturday but they couldn't get onto a Copa Airline flight which was fully booked.
With flights scheduled for only Saturdays and Tuesdays to Jamaica, the team took the time for some sighting-seeing and shopping at the mall and got some well needed rest.
It has been a long road for the teenagers spending six weeks in Brazil alongside several camps in Jamaica, missing school and will finally get a chance to spend quality time with their families.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz1QfbhUjsY