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Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has failed in its bid to secure a satisfactory opponent to play a warm-up match against the Reggae Boyz on the final FIFA date prior to the team's critical CONCACAF Hexagonal World Cup Qualifier against Panama on September 6.
President of the JFF, Captain Horace Burrell, had hoped to get an opposing team for August 14 and give the Boyz an opportunity to gel, especially in light of the fact that the team has a new coach, Winfried 'Winnie' Schafer, who was appointed last month.
"The situation is that we have not been able to get a worthy opponent and therefore we will not play any game in the upcoming FIFA date, which is next week," Burrell said.
He added: "We are putting in place all the plans for the game we have in Panama."
The Reggae Boyz advanced one place in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday to sit at 76th. This, however, follows a 28-place drop in the previous ranking update in July, which was the country's second-biggest downward move since 2006, when Jamaica fell 33 spots.
The JFF attempted to get matches against the likes of 74th-ranked Haiti, 90th-ranked Cuba, and teams out of Central America.
"We tried Cuba, but they just came in from the Gold Cup and are not available as they have sent their players on a break to start their season," Burrell said.
"Haiti doesn't have a coach; they said that they are reorganising. We spoke with teams out of Central America and we were not able to get one for one reason or another."
Points
The Reggae Boyz have amassed a mere two points from six games to sit at the foot of the Hexagonal. The group is led by the United States (13 points), followed by Costa Rica (11), Mexico (eight), and Honduras (seven).
In the absence of a friendly encounter prior to next month's World Cup game against the beaten Gold Cup finalists, Schafer is currently in England establishing a relationship with some of the players based there.
"He has been to two games so far with our players and has spoken to them," Burrell revealed. "He has watched Reading and spoken to our players and the coaching staff of that club, and yesterday (Saturday), he went to another game," Burrell told The Gleaner on Sunday.
"The bulk of our players are in Europe, so that's the best we could do at this stage."
With most of the current squad being based in Europe, Burrell does not see the need for a local-based camp prior to the next phase of qualifiers.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has failed in its bid to secure a satisfactory opponent to play a warm-up match against the Reggae Boyz on the final FIFA date prior to the team's critical CONCACAF Hexagonal World Cup Qualifier against Panama on September 6.
President of the JFF, Captain Horace Burrell, had hoped to get an opposing team for August 14 and give the Boyz an opportunity to gel, especially in light of the fact that the team has a new coach, Winfried 'Winnie' Schafer, who was appointed last month.
"The situation is that we have not been able to get a worthy opponent and therefore we will not play any game in the upcoming FIFA date, which is next week," Burrell said.
He added: "We are putting in place all the plans for the game we have in Panama."
The Reggae Boyz advanced one place in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday to sit at 76th. This, however, follows a 28-place drop in the previous ranking update in July, which was the country's second-biggest downward move since 2006, when Jamaica fell 33 spots.
The JFF attempted to get matches against the likes of 74th-ranked Haiti, 90th-ranked Cuba, and teams out of Central America.
"We tried Cuba, but they just came in from the Gold Cup and are not available as they have sent their players on a break to start their season," Burrell said.
"Haiti doesn't have a coach; they said that they are reorganising. We spoke with teams out of Central America and we were not able to get one for one reason or another."
Points
The Reggae Boyz have amassed a mere two points from six games to sit at the foot of the Hexagonal. The group is led by the United States (13 points), followed by Costa Rica (11), Mexico (eight), and Honduras (seven).
In the absence of a friendly encounter prior to next month's World Cup game against the beaten Gold Cup finalists, Schafer is currently in England establishing a relationship with some of the players based there.
"He has been to two games so far with our players and has spoken to them," Burrell revealed. "He has watched Reading and spoken to our players and the coaching staff of that club, and yesterday (Saturday), he went to another game," Burrell told The Gleaner on Sunday.
"The bulk of our players are in Europe, so that's the best we could do at this stage."
With most of the current squad being based in Europe, Burrell does not see the need for a local-based camp prior to the next phase of qualifiers.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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