IT'S OFFICIAL! JFF Announces Additions To Pool.

[Dunny]

JFF nets eight - Beckford, McAnuff among recruits from UK trip

BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor
Friday, November 23, 2012




THE recruitment of eight foreign-raised players is being viewed as a first step towards their possible inclusion in a Reggae Boyz squad seeking to strengthen its ranks for next year's final round CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament.

Following an intense two-week mission to the United Kingdom, led by Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and included head coach Theodore Whitmore and assistant Alfredo Montesso, seven British-born players and one Germany-based player have given "convincing indications" that they want to wear the colours of their ancestral home.
BECKFORD... Huddersfield’s highly-rated 28-year-old striker



For those excited by the prospects of more professional players joining the team for the Brazil 2014 campaign, Whitmore warned that getting the players to commit to the cause should not be viewed as automatic selection to the squad.
"As I said before, it's a process. We have to look at what we have and we have confidence in what we have been working with over the last three years...
"It's now down to me and the technical staff to sit and look where some of these players can fit in and how they can help us," he said at a press conference yesterday.
"We have to be careful as we don't want to forget players who have taken us this far," said Whitmore, a former Jamaica standout.
At yesterday's brief session at the JFF offices to give details of the United Kingdom mission, Burrell publicly revealed that the Reading pair of Jobi McAnnuff (31, midfielder) and Garath McCleary (25, forward); Watford's Lloyd Doyley (29, defender); Huddersfield's Jermaine Beckford (28, forward) and James Vaughn (24, forward); Karsruher's (Germany) Daniel Gordon (27, midfielder); Burnley's Marvin Bartley (26, midfielder); Derby County's Theo Robinson (23, forward) have offered themselves for service.
Also, there are moves to confirm 19-year-old West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison for the Under-20 Boyz who are due to have their CONCACAF final play-offs in Puebla, Mexico in February next year.
While Burrell deemed the scouting and fact-finding mission an overall success, there were instances of letdown. The three-man Jamaican delegation also sought to court Queens Parks Rangers winger, 22-year-old David Hoilett; the Newcastle pair of defender/midfielder James Perch, 26, and defender Danny Simpson, 25, and Swansea City winger Nathan Dyer, 24, but were not convinced of their level of "desire and commitment".
"We want players who are prepared to die for the country on the field of play and I've not picked that up with some of these players. I must say I'm particularly disappointed in Hoilett as he keeps saying he wants more time...
"If we qualify for the World Cup he will not be invited as that wouldn't be fair to those who have worked hard in getting the team to Brazil... While I respect his position, we will not be waiting around for anyone," Burrell said.
In the case of Dyer, Burrell said the player's agent told him that "the player will not be available until next simmer, but by that time we will be in Brazil".
"What is happening is that some agents are discouraging the players because they are protecting their interest as they claim Jamaica is too far away and their clients may lose their places in their teams, and that... mitigates against us getting those players," Burrell noted.
For those who have committed, he said the process of acquiring Jamaican passports have begun in some cases and should be completed in time for the first final-round game against Mexico on February 6.
The scouting process, Burrell indicated, will be ongoing in keeping with the JFF's philosophy of having "the best 11 on the pitch at all times".
"Once you qualify as having Jamaican roots and have the desire and commitment, then the door will be open... but... any player invited... must bring something better than what we have here, and that's a pre-condition," he declared.
Burrell said the trip was beneficial for a number of reasons beyond wooing players to the national squad.
"It was a successful trip because we got a chance to interact with the players and, in a lot of cases, we got a chance to see them at work (playing)...
"More so, the technical staff was able to have one-on-one talks with them. We spoke with managers, club officials, agents... so our sojourn... gave knowledge across many important areas of the professional football set-up," he said.
Jamaica will engage the USA, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras in a 30-match home-and-away series for three automatic berths to the World Cup Finals in Brazil. The fourth-placed finisher will face the winner of the Oceana group in a two-way tie for an additional spot



Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz2D3KSRQsw

[Mosiah]

"We have to be careful as we don't want to forget players who have taken us this far," said Whitmore, a former Jamaica standout.

And how are you going to do that, Tappa? Give them free tickets to matches? They squad can only be yay big, so some of our players who have taken us this far will be left behind. It is unfair to them. These UB40s should have committed themselves a long time ago not when things are looking rosy. Imagine if we do qualify for the WC, all of those who turned down the Captain will become available and committed, them and their agents.

"We want players who are prepared to die for the country on the field of play and I've not picked that up with some of these players. I must say I'm particularly disappointed in Hoilett as he keeps saying he wants more time...
"If we qualify for the World Cup he will not be invited as that wouldn't be fair to those who have worked hard in getting the team to Brazil... While I respect his position, we will not be waiting around for anyone," Burrell said.

Don't wrong him. He jolly well knows that if we qualify we are going to open the doors a little wider yet again. And, we should have taken this attitude 14 years ago and not recruit mercenaries as we have done in the past.

In the case of Dyer, Burrell said the player's agent told him that "the player will not be available until next simmer, but by that time we will be in Brazil".
"What is happening is that some agents are discouraging the players because they are protecting their interest as they claim Jamaica is too far away and their clients may lose their places in their teams, and that... mitigates against us getting those players," Burrell noted.

Everyone looks out for their interests, Burrell, nothing very wrong with that. Only a tiny minority of agents are not selfish mofos!

The scouting process, Burrell indicated, will be ongoing in keeping with the JFF's philosophy of having "the best 11 on the pitch at all times".

This should have been the philosophy and policy since 1997.

"Once you qualify as having Jamaican roots and have the desire and commitment, then the door will be open... but... any player invited... must bring something better than what we have here, and that's a pre-condition," he declared.

That's a DUH statement. But even though it is, we are going to select some of them because of their "professionalism", whatever that means!

Burrell said the trip was beneficial for a number of reasons beyond wooing players to the national squad.
"It was a successful trip because we got a chance to interact with the players and, in a lot of cases, we got a chance to see them at work (playing)...
"More so, the technical staff was able to have one-on-one talks with them. We spoke with managers, club officials, agents... so our sojourn... gave knowledge across many important areas of the professional football set-up," he said.

True! I expect Tappa, in particular, to have a better idea of their training methods, their needs and expectations, and to see how we can meet them, while not causing any disruption with other players and running up our costs.

[Stonigut]

This will boil down to mcanuff, Doyle's and possibly beckford, the discipline necessary by all involved to truly vet these players is more than they are willing to give, each of the others will be given a humpreys type chance and deposed of the same is true for our rspl players, how they are brought into the mix and thrown in the deep water at the worst time smacks of poor planning. More on this when I get a chance!

[Mosiah]

So it's all on the JFF technical staff now?!? But yuh nuh easy!!!

Maybe a not understanding. Hurry up and come back!

[Dunny]

I can't wait for these players to come for training. Many of them will prove to be the rucks...well, the not-so-good players that they actually are.

Yes, they may have gone through the fire, played through snow storm and have had to endure all sorts of hardships, but at the end of the day, some are no better than what we have here on the rock. Nah stop seh suh.

Tell me, Stoni, how many UB40s have blown away our local players with their quality? And how many have proven themselves inadequate, despite their considerable battle scars?

Talking about battle scars, never belittle what our local players have to go through to reach where they are. Unnu ever see how some, most of them live?!? And yuh waan come tell mi bout what these EPL ballers have to put up with.

Don't get me started, Stoni!

Mo it look like Stoni really upset you Bro, no watch nutten, we all know we have some talented and skillful local ballers but what these English born players will add is professionalism and efficiency.We Jamaicans tend to measure players quality by how pleasing they are on the eye, however the players that are pretty are not necessarily the ones that get the job done. These English born players are coached from a young age to be efficient rather than be fancy so i think they will compliment the likes of Hue etc. Some will excel and some will fall by the wayside but it is an advantage to be able to call on these types of players when needed.

[Mosiah]

Mo it look like Stoni really upset you Bro, no watch nutten, we all know we have some talented and skillful local ballers but what these English born players will add is professionalism and efficiency.We Jamaicans tend to measure players quality by how pleasing they are on the eye, however the players that are pretty are not necessarily the ones that get the job done. These English born players are coached from a young age to be efficient rather than be fancy so i think they will compliment the likes of Hue etc. Some will excel and some will fall by the wayside but it is an advantage to be able to call on these types of players when needed.

Just not true, Dunny! Many of us are way past those days of gallery ballas. I was at an Arnett match the other day and one of their players dished out one of the prettiest piles you will see in years.

....................

That was how quiet the crowd was.

They were under 2-0. And even if they would have made some noise had the score been in their favour, many of us would not have been entertained by that.

Of course, like anyone who has a real appreciation for the beautiful game, if the skill is purposeful, that is what the game is all about. Don't wi like when Iniesta dish it out?

So, don't tell me they will complement Hue. Hue is ALL BUSINESS and efficiency when it comes to his play. Never does he pander to the crowd. If they want to complement him, finish off the masterful deliveries when they get the ball. If they want to complement him, work their asses off to make up for his defensive liabilities, because it is hardly likely that any of them can create goals like him!

And please define professionalism. Is it breaking curfews and inveigling others to do the same? Is it coming here for a holiday and giving less than 100% on the field as we have seen from some of these professionalism?

[Stonigut]

Listen all I am saying is we are chewing up players lie a machine and spitting them to the side with no real plan. Now we are calling eight new guys who they probably will get one look at in real competition, kind of like mcanuff, pay one game then sidelined forever, the only reason he s back is his own production speaks for itself, we never saw his true talent and even with that it will still be a rough fit for him, I think e is just now starting to see a little daylight with reading and their introduction to the epl, lets see how that goes.

[Tilla]

Mo it look like Stoni really upset you Bro, no watch nutten, we all know we have some talented and skillful local ballers but what these English born players will add is professionalism and efficiency.We Jamaicans tend to measure players quality by how pleasing they are on the eye, however the players that are pretty are not necessarily the ones that get the job done. These English born players are coached from a young age to be efficient rather than be fancy so i think they will compliment the likes of Hue etc. Some will excel and some will fall by the wayside but it is an advantage to be able to call on these types of players when needed.

Not everyday I agree with you, but I do on this occasion. I must say well said!

[Mosiah]

ok!

[Dunny]

Just not true, Dunny! Many of us are way past those days of gallery ballas. I was at an Arnett match the other day and one of their players dished out one of the prettiest piles you will see in years.

....................

That was how quiet the crowd was.

They were under 2-0. And even if they would have made some noise had the score been in their favour, many of us would not have been entertained by that.

Of course, like anyone who has a real appreciation for the beautiful game, if the skill is purposeful, that is what the game is all about. Don't wi like when Iniesta dish it out?

So, don't tell me they will complement Hue. Hue is ALL BUSINESS and efficiency when it comes to his play. Never does he pander to the crowd. If they want to complement him, finish off the masterful deliveries when they get the ball. If they want to complement him, work their asses off to make up for his defensive liabilities, because it is hardly likely that any of them can create goals like him!

And please define professionalism. Is it breaking curfews and inveigling others to do the same? Is it coming here for a holiday and giving less than 100% on the field as we have seen from some of these professionalism?

That is one UB40 baller come a yaad and keep up the almshouse, what about Simpson, Hall, Burton, Campbell-Ryce,Nosworthy etc have they not given their all for Jamaica? For every Marlon King there are 10 Deon Burton's.

[Mosiah]

I could call names and probably will, but nuff UB40s never bring nutten special to the program, Dunny. Yes, they may have behaved themselves, but dem never good!

[Dunny]

I could call names and probably will, but nuff UB40s never bring nutten special to the program, Dunny. Yes, they may have behaved themselves, but dem never good!

Ok Mo, so when World Cup qualifiers come round in February i am assuming if you were the head coach, Nosworthy, Mariappa and the rest of them wouldn't be in your team. Am I right in thinking that?

[Mosiah]

How do you get to that? Didn't Mariappa and Nosworthy didn't wait for us to get to the Hex so I give them props for that. And they certainly look like quality.

So, why are you suggesting that no UB40 would be on my team?!?

[Muadib]

if Messi tun out tuh have a faddah from Spanish Town.. all when di plane a leave fi Rio him can get passport and Reggae Boyz Jersey if mi a Coach...

[Mosiah]

You have no pride!