Not that far away!!!!!

[Stonigut]

All lovely points, but the reality is that you can't turn lead into gold, you have to work with what you have.

Here is what we have!

1. Grassroots program, as you have said, as I have said, as everybody from Assasin to Mosiah to Karl to Jangle all Zeppo , Hl everybody, this must be the future but that plane can't leave the runway yet and since I or any of us have little influence on that we continue to advocate for that.

2. Local stars that get recruited and actually succeed abroad, this is where we Have found the most success, this will continue as we have great talent however our talent is being mined mostly at certain position that rely mostly on speed, so wingers, forwards and wing backs is what we mostly export, we don't export enough players in the 'strategic positions' attacking mids, defensive mids or even central midfield the way it is played and the way it should be played.

3. Diaspora players, yes we need them and we will continue to need them much as how our undeveloped, rapidly devolving economy needs remittances, yes diaspora players are football remittances, can't do without them and we need to use them to fill key gaps and add depth, the key is to work them into the side earlier, get more training camps and hire some real coaches.

That is our reality and we need to make the World Cup to get the energy and excitement to jump start the dead engine, who is going to dip in them bank account and finance this grassroots program, Jack Mandora or John Canoe not going to jump out of the bush and turn into Warren Buffett and contribute a few million per year so until then everybody put you hands on the Rbz program and push!

[Don1]

Stoni...you seem incapable of learning the lessons of history re this football ting... neither the negative nor positive lessons

I hope Jamaica learns... but I'm not sanguine on that

[Stonigut]

Just a realist Don1, I have been involved in all kind of programs with people, process, capital etc in multiple places and one thing I have learned is you cannot create something from nothing. I have had all kinds of supposedly smart and wise people think that, but believe me when I say to you, to get something you have to put in something. Where is the resources going to come from to create , sustain and improve this local program you are talking about, we can't even sustain and maintain the sidewalk around parade and heroes square year to year. It requires dedicated, sustained focus not to mention resources to even start something like that, how you going to do it.

Our choices are clear, we have very limited options and you must improve what you already have.

[Stonigut]

How do you figure that. I see a lot of bit players on the US side, a few in good leagues like jamaica a few good players in second rate leagues, the difference is in continuity and preparation.

[Don1]

Stoni I have repeatedly advanced an affordable basic plan for youth development. If Jamaica wishes it can easily groom say 100 of our best youngsters per year in a structured development program for U-12, U-14 & U-17 outside of the school ball system

The reality is it is not a matter of resources why something so simple has not occurred to date ...but it is a lack of will & vision

That absence of will & vision is enabled and encouraged by a lack of self confidence and a feeling among many that FOREIGN = BETTER.

Sadly this is a disability you have displayed in your football prescriptions

It is puzzling that this defeatist attitude prevails when we have created so many models of exceptional excellence at a world level... using just the few native resources on hand

Mi naw get sucked into dem defeatist attitude deh...yuhzimi?

[Stonigut]

Listen, me too, I advocate all of that, but then time come to say, who going to run it, who going to do it. JFF can't even get a few teams together for a few weeks before the games, not even all local teams.

Just the read deal bredrin. We are short term jockeys when it come to the ball thing.

[Don1]

Listen, me too, I advocate all of that, but then time come to say, who going to run it, who going to do it. JFF can't even get a few teams together for a few weeks before the games, not even all local teams.

Just the read deal bredrin. We are short term jockeys when it come to the ball thing.

As I said Stoni.. I don't buy into the orthodox behaviour if I see it's folly I can wait until the followers of folly catch up... I see that repeatedly

But no worries.... yuh free

[Zeppo]

Jamaica gave up points that they should not have given up at all, not because of ub40 versus local or snowballed, it was pure lack of preparation. With preparation this team would be going to Brazil.

Here is the deal.
1. Gave up two points to our favor in first game versus Mexico and gave Mexico a point.
2. Gave up two points at home versus panama and also gave panama a point.
3. I will skip the cr game which we should not have lost, but let's say suh it go.
4. We gave mex three points at home and walked away with none on the worst guarded goal in the tournament.
5. We gave Us two points with a last minute goal in injury time, at home, there is no way that should have happened.
6. Honduras beat a dejected team 2-0 ok, no argument there.
7. Jamaica draws panama in panama, fair result.
8. Jamaica draws rc at home, should have figured a way to win that but won't fight that either.
9. Both us goals were defensive mistakes all around, should have had a draw at least, but sot guh.

We drop six easy points we should have had and gave away four points to mex, one to panama and four points to the us.

This is a litany of excuses. And the team that finishes 5th in this Hex will also be able to list all their would have, could have and should have moments.

But it still won't mean they were just as good as the teams that qualified.

[Karl]

This is a litany of excuses. And the team that finishes 5th in this Hex will also be able to list all their would have, could have and should have moments.

But it still won't mean they were just as good as the teams that qualified.

Based on play?
- We are exactly were we should be.
Bottom of the Hex.

Based on potential.
-We should have been fighting for the top spot.
...but that would have meant that we were well prepared. That being well prepared never happened.

We just have to face the fact that we were never a TEAM.

The best the attitude of the players was seen was in our match versus Mexico in the Azteca. Were not playing as fluent TEAM. We were far from footballing TEAM...but the attitude was save for 2 or 3 players was great! That base approach to sticking together was something solid to build on. We failed to create TEAM! We failed terribly!!! ...and reaped the 'graduates' as per the teaching!!!!

[Stonigut]

Sure, you should always have a lessons learned list, it is about constant improvement, however when you have goals scored in a nonchalant manner, unchallenged in the late minutes of the game it is more than a lessons learned moment, it is fundamental, this should never happen under any circumstance and if it does it is a one time unusual occurrence.

What we saw was poor marking, lots of room to the opposing player goals, much of this was due to poor prep, too many new players in defense at the same time and poor concentration, especially late in the game, all things that can be addressed and resolved, there was also some confusion on tactics, some thinking that this was a corner league match and that the team that attacked the most would win, not realizing the hex is a grind session, defense rules and that means all ten outfield players pressing, a clogged midfield and wait for the opponent to blink.

We lost the understanding of the hex grind ball after one game and the coaches thought they needed to be more aggressive which led to a change in formation, tactics and a four game losing streak. Anyway if you look at the goals scored against jamaica in tight situations you would realize that these are not just could have, should have moments, these were "must never happen" situations that must be drummed into players heads and applied to team play in serious competitive matches.

[Muadib]

Why is there no will for such a simple and obviously beneficial strategy...

Think hard now..