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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Hunt cautious ahead of U-17 qualifiers</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>SEAN A WILLIAMS, Observer staff reporter
Thursday, March 15, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=161 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>HUNT... all games will be tough</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>There is a feeling that Jamaica could see yet another of its football teams in a world tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>This flame of optimism is being fanned by an auspicious Under-17 squad that has been impressive in their Youth World Cup preparation - in the process shocking champions Mexico in a two-match friendly series at the Harbour View Mini-stadium last month.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In the first match, both teams scratched out a 1-1 tie, and if there was a whiff of doubt after that as to their true potential, the Young Boyz made sure to convince by blanking the champions 2-0 in the second for a 3-1 aggregate.<P class=StoryText align=justify>That result has sparked a wave of hope and the junior Boyz now carry a burden of high expectation to repeat the success of the 1999 team that qualified for the New Zealand tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>They will get their chance from April 28 to May 6 when they tackle the USA, Canada, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago in CONCACAF Group B qualifiers here for one of three places at this summer's World Youth Championships to be held in South Korea from Aug 18 to Sept 9.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica's Under-20 team was eliminated in the final phase of CONCACAF qualifying last month in Mexico.<P class=StoryText align=justify>While qualifying the Under-17s seems an achievable goal, team coach David Hunt prefers to tread carefully.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"All games are going to be extremely tough, all the teams are looking to qualify for South Korea," he said yesterday.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And although to a large measure most of the opponents are no strangers to Hunt's youthful bunch, he knows that on game day any card could play and every advantage will count.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"... We have played the US, Trinidad and Canada twice, but we have not played Costa Rica, but I expect very tough opposition from them," he noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Hopefully the home advantage and the crowd support will help the players to rise to the occasion," added Hunt, a successful youth coach at Calabar High School and Meadhaven Football Club.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Since returning to camp on February 17, Hunt's emphasis has been on getting his players to achieve the highest possible mental preparedness.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We are looking at getting the players to understand the defensive and offensive responsibilities, getting them in a sharper mode and keeping them motivated to work as a unit, (and) they have been responding excellently," he said.
Though the team may not get another international warm-up game ahead of next month's qualifying series, Hunt said that match practice and general preparation have gone to suit.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The team is getting very good support from the JFF (Jamaica Football Federation) and we are basically satisfied with what is taking place. Preparation has been going very good," he noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"This team has played a number of internationals, most recently, we played Mexico and we have been able to play high-quality opposition before that from the CONCACAF region. Over the period we have played the USA, Canada and Panama," Hunt explained.<P class=StoryText align=ju
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>SEAN A WILLIAMS, Observer staff reporter
Thursday, March 15, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=161 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>HUNT... all games will be tough</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>There is a feeling that Jamaica could see yet another of its football teams in a world tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>This flame of optimism is being fanned by an auspicious Under-17 squad that has been impressive in their Youth World Cup preparation - in the process shocking champions Mexico in a two-match friendly series at the Harbour View Mini-stadium last month.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In the first match, both teams scratched out a 1-1 tie, and if there was a whiff of doubt after that as to their true potential, the Young Boyz made sure to convince by blanking the champions 2-0 in the second for a 3-1 aggregate.<P class=StoryText align=justify>That result has sparked a wave of hope and the junior Boyz now carry a burden of high expectation to repeat the success of the 1999 team that qualified for the New Zealand tournament.<P class=StoryText align=justify>They will get their chance from April 28 to May 6 when they tackle the USA, Canada, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago in CONCACAF Group B qualifiers here for one of three places at this summer's World Youth Championships to be held in South Korea from Aug 18 to Sept 9.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica's Under-20 team was eliminated in the final phase of CONCACAF qualifying last month in Mexico.<P class=StoryText align=justify>While qualifying the Under-17s seems an achievable goal, team coach David Hunt prefers to tread carefully.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"All games are going to be extremely tough, all the teams are looking to qualify for South Korea," he said yesterday.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And although to a large measure most of the opponents are no strangers to Hunt's youthful bunch, he knows that on game day any card could play and every advantage will count.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"... We have played the US, Trinidad and Canada twice, but we have not played Costa Rica, but I expect very tough opposition from them," he noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Hopefully the home advantage and the crowd support will help the players to rise to the occasion," added Hunt, a successful youth coach at Calabar High School and Meadhaven Football Club.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Since returning to camp on February 17, Hunt's emphasis has been on getting his players to achieve the highest possible mental preparedness.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We are looking at getting the players to understand the defensive and offensive responsibilities, getting them in a sharper mode and keeping them motivated to work as a unit, (and) they have been responding excellently," he said.Though the team may not get another international warm-up game ahead of next month's qualifying series, Hunt said that match practice and general preparation have gone to suit.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The team is getting very good support from the JFF (Jamaica Football Federation) and we are basically satisfied with what is taking place. Preparation has been going very good," he noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"This team has played a number of internationals, most recently, we played Mexico and we have been able to play high-quality opposition before that from the CONCACAF region. Over the period we have played the USA, Canada and Panama," Hunt explained.<P class=StoryText align=ju
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