The Americans were p is sed!
Their press officer came in very late, fuming that members of the press were already having drinks and finger food. He quietly screamed, "The bar should have been closed off until the US delegation got there!"
Well, they were taking too damn long and we were hungry, dammit! Usually, within minutes of the final whistle, coach and player make themselves available at the press conference. What was the hold up now?! Wi nuh pay him bad mind afta dat!
Eventually, Jurgen Klinsmann (JK) and Sunil Gulati showed up. Several questions were posed by the American journalists, mainly having to do with player personnel. They asked why this or the other player was not included in the squad, suggesting that player selection was at fault. They also suggested that certain players may not have pulled their weight in the match.
JK was not having it. He said he was not getting into the performance of individual players and player selection. He played down the absence of Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. He said he will take the luxury of examining the game from a distance and will see what needs to be fixed for the return match, but there were not going to be any changes for the upcoming match.
JK kept saying Jamaica was hungrier and more physical and deserved to win. He condescendingly suggested that we brought nothing to worry them otherwise - we scored two goals from freekicks and were more physical and hungrier. Any formation he could have employed would have been victims to that - the freekicks and the hunger.
Then it was Wayne Wonder of CVM's turn at the mike. "Coach, I have a two part question for you - are you scarred mentally? ()And you keep saying Jamaica was hungrier, but the truth is we bashed you in every department on the field!"
When the snickers and outright laughter had died down, JK responded, "Well that is your opinion. We still have a return match in Columbus on Tuesday and it would be interesting to hear your comments after that."
Then it was Tappa's turn. He was joined at the table by Luton Shelton. Tappa said it was a great feeling achieving something he was not able to do as a player. He said he did not panic when they went down to an early goal and he did not change anything because of that. Luton said he asked Rudolph Austin for that freekick as he "felt it". Austin gave him the kick and the rest is really history! Luton said it was the first time he was taking a freekick for the Boyz! Not bad for conversion rate!
Tappa came up to me afterwards in the mixed zone. I stuttered my congratulations, a bit overcome by the gesture, as he said, "Yuh good man?"
"If mi good?!?!" was all I could come with, laughing.
Their press officer came in very late, fuming that members of the press were already having drinks and finger food. He quietly screamed, "The bar should have been closed off until the US delegation got there!"
Well, they were taking too damn long and we were hungry, dammit! Usually, within minutes of the final whistle, coach and player make themselves available at the press conference. What was the hold up now?! Wi nuh pay him bad mind afta dat!
Eventually, Jurgen Klinsmann (JK) and Sunil Gulati showed up. Several questions were posed by the American journalists, mainly having to do with player personnel. They asked why this or the other player was not included in the squad, suggesting that player selection was at fault. They also suggested that certain players may not have pulled their weight in the match.
JK was not having it. He said he was not getting into the performance of individual players and player selection. He played down the absence of Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. He said he will take the luxury of examining the game from a distance and will see what needs to be fixed for the return match, but there were not going to be any changes for the upcoming match.
JK kept saying Jamaica was hungrier and more physical and deserved to win. He condescendingly suggested that we brought nothing to worry them otherwise - we scored two goals from freekicks and were more physical and hungrier. Any formation he could have employed would have been victims to that - the freekicks and the hunger.
Then it was Wayne Wonder of CVM's turn at the mike. "Coach, I have a two part question for you - are you scarred mentally? ()And you keep saying Jamaica was hungrier, but the truth is we bashed you in every department on the field!"
When the snickers and outright laughter had died down, JK responded, "Well that is your opinion. We still have a return match in Columbus on Tuesday and it would be interesting to hear your comments after that."
Then it was Tappa's turn. He was joined at the table by Luton Shelton. Tappa said it was a great feeling achieving something he was not able to do as a player. He said he did not panic when they went down to an early goal and he did not change anything because of that. Luton said he asked Rudolph Austin for that freekick as he "felt it". Austin gave him the kick and the rest is really history! Luton said it was the first time he was taking a freekick for the Boyz! Not bad for conversion rate!
Tappa came up to me afterwards in the mixed zone. I stuttered my congratulations, a bit overcome by the gesture, as he said, "Yuh good man?"
"If mi good?!?!" was all I could come with, laughing.
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