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After strong Gold Cup ..RBZ target better quality opponents
Reggae Boyz Look To Extend Strides In China Game
Published: Wednesday | July 6, 2011
Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz will be hoping to ride the wave of success, evidenced by a noticeable boost in the FIFA World Ranking, following a strong showing at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Captain Horace Burrell expects to lead to better-quality opponents.
That surge will carry the national team Far East in a little over a months' time, when they face the People's Republic of China for a friendly international on August 10.
Following the region's most prestigious tournament, the country leapt 18 places to sit 38th in the tables - the highest since January 1999 - following the team's highest-ever placing of 27 after the 1998 World Cup Finals in France.
"Based on our recent performance at the Gold Cup, and having moved up in the FIFA rankings, we are in a much better position to secure more quality opponents," Burrell said.
"Many international teams look at rankings when selecting an opponent, and based on where on we are today, I would say we are in pretty good shape," he added.
The Chinese, currently ranked at 75th and the fifth-best team in the Asia football region - led by Japan - have insisted that the Jamaicans field their strongest team for the friendly, set on the next available FIFA date.
"China is one of the stronger teams in that region. For that game, they will be fielding a very strong team, but they have also requested a strong team," Burrell said.
"We will be using most of the players who participated in the Gold Cup and look forward to the encounter."
creditable performance
A very creditable Gold Cup performance saw the Boyz score impressive wins over Guatemala, Grenada and then Honduras, before crashing out to the United States in the quarter-final.
Now, the major aim for the team is to keep the momentum going ahead of the 2014 qualifying campaign.
"All plans are, of course, centred around qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, which begins in just a few months time."
Another goal for the team will be to keep ascending the world charts, which will enable burgeoning young local talent to ply their trade in the United Kingdom.
Yet, it isn't the first time the Jamaicans will lock horns with the Chinese, but perhaps even more surprisingly, the Boyz have a losing record. The team played China twice in October 1977, on consecutive Sundays at the National Stadium, losing both games 1-0 and 3-0, respectively.
Then the national squad was coached by George Thompson, captained by former national coach Carl Brown, and featured the likes of Allie McNab, Lorne Donaldson and Howard Bell.
Published: Wednesday | July 6, 2011
Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz will be hoping to ride the wave of success, evidenced by a noticeable boost in the FIFA World Ranking, following a strong showing at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Captain Horace Burrell expects to lead to better-quality opponents.
That surge will carry the national team Far East in a little over a months' time, when they face the People's Republic of China for a friendly international on August 10.
Following the region's most prestigious tournament, the country leapt 18 places to sit 38th in the tables - the highest since January 1999 - following the team's highest-ever placing of 27 after the 1998 World Cup Finals in France.
"Based on our recent performance at the Gold Cup, and having moved up in the FIFA rankings, we are in a much better position to secure more quality opponents," Burrell said.
"Many international teams look at rankings when selecting an opponent, and based on where on we are today, I would say we are in pretty good shape," he added.
The Chinese, currently ranked at 75th and the fifth-best team in the Asia football region - led by Japan - have insisted that the Jamaicans field their strongest team for the friendly, set on the next available FIFA date.
"China is one of the stronger teams in that region. For that game, they will be fielding a very strong team, but they have also requested a strong team," Burrell said.
"We will be using most of the players who participated in the Gold Cup and look forward to the encounter."
creditable performance
A very creditable Gold Cup performance saw the Boyz score impressive wins over Guatemala, Grenada and then Honduras, before crashing out to the United States in the quarter-final.
Now, the major aim for the team is to keep the momentum going ahead of the 2014 qualifying campaign.
"All plans are, of course, centred around qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, which begins in just a few months time."
Another goal for the team will be to keep ascending the world charts, which will enable burgeoning young local talent to ply their trade in the United Kingdom.
Yet, it isn't the first time the Jamaicans will lock horns with the Chinese, but perhaps even more surprisingly, the Boyz have a losing record. The team played China twice in October 1977, on consecutive Sundays at the National Stadium, losing both games 1-0 and 3-0, respectively.
Then the national squad was coached by George Thompson, captained by former national coach Carl Brown, and featured the likes of Allie McNab, Lorne Donaldson and Howard Bell.
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