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National football Technical Director Rene Simoes has once again registered his dissatisfaction with the long-running schoolboy football competitions, the daCosta and Manning Cups
Simoes, as our guest one would think he would be more sensitive in how he criticises our treasured institutions.
The Brazilian was seen on national television over the weekend saying the schoolboy leagues did nothing to enhance the development of football in the long run, and our football would be better served if they were replaced by club leagues and academies.
This is not the first time Simoes has voiced this opinion. The first time we heard this was during his first stint as the TD when he made a speech at a luncheon held at an all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay.
My first reaction is that Simoes needs to stick to the job he was hired to do and leave other things to other people. The last time he was here he also said at the same all-inclusive resort that his job was to develop a national coaching system. We are still waiting for this.
The talkative Brazilian also said after our qualification for the World Cup in France that the success then was like building a house from the roof down. It seems this time he has come to patch the said roof as he has done nothing to secure the foundation or the walls since he has been here.
Simoes appears not to have any respect for our culture and systems and showed scant regard, if any, to our CFU competition the last time he was here, saying while he was in the Emirates the only thing he heard about was the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Maybe he thinks that if he never heard of it then it is not important enough for his time and consideration.
The schoolboy competitions, starting from the Under 13 and Under 14, through the Under 16 and daCosta and Manning cups are important to us Jamaicans and have served us well through the decades, and that should be enough for him.
As our guest one would think he would be more sensitive in how he criticises our treasured institutions. What will he attack next, Champs and Schools Challenge Quiz?
I don't think anyone ever said that the schoolboy competitions were the answer to our senior team's needs, and there must be a way for the schoolboy leagues and age group club competitions to co-exist and help each other.
Fact is, no other football competition in Jamaica has the pulling power of the schoolboy league, and even when our alma maters are not doing as well as we would expect, the crowds are better than the average Premier League crowds, and, on most occasions, better behaved as well.
Maybe Simoes was not told that football is the only school sport that attracts paying patrons and this money goes a far way to offsetting the cost of other sports in the schools and, in some instances, subsidising school budgets.
Maybe he also forgot that sports is a vital part of the school curriculum and not every boy (or girl) who takes part would be able to take part in a club setting outside of the school.
Maybe he does not know that most times the school systems are better organised than the clubs and the coaches are better than those in the clubs.
Maybe he did not do his homework before he spoke. What he needs to do is to develop the overall coaching systems he promised over 10 years ago that can be used at the schools and age group club levels
Simoes, as our guest one would think he would be more sensitive in how he criticises our treasured institutions.
The Brazilian was seen on national television over the weekend saying the schoolboy leagues did nothing to enhance the development of football in the long run, and our football would be better served if they were replaced by club leagues and academies.
This is not the first time Simoes has voiced this opinion. The first time we heard this was during his first stint as the TD when he made a speech at a luncheon held at an all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay.
My first reaction is that Simoes needs to stick to the job he was hired to do and leave other things to other people. The last time he was here he also said at the same all-inclusive resort that his job was to develop a national coaching system. We are still waiting for this.
The talkative Brazilian also said after our qualification for the World Cup in France that the success then was like building a house from the roof down. It seems this time he has come to patch the said roof as he has done nothing to secure the foundation or the walls since he has been here.
Simoes appears not to have any respect for our culture and systems and showed scant regard, if any, to our CFU competition the last time he was here, saying while he was in the Emirates the only thing he heard about was the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Maybe he thinks that if he never heard of it then it is not important enough for his time and consideration.
The schoolboy competitions, starting from the Under 13 and Under 14, through the Under 16 and daCosta and Manning cups are important to us Jamaicans and have served us well through the decades, and that should be enough for him.
As our guest one would think he would be more sensitive in how he criticises our treasured institutions. What will he attack next, Champs and Schools Challenge Quiz?
I don't think anyone ever said that the schoolboy competitions were the answer to our senior team's needs, and there must be a way for the schoolboy leagues and age group club competitions to co-exist and help each other.
Fact is, no other football competition in Jamaica has the pulling power of the schoolboy league, and even when our alma maters are not doing as well as we would expect, the crowds are better than the average Premier League crowds, and, on most occasions, better behaved as well.
Maybe Simoes was not told that football is the only school sport that attracts paying patrons and this money goes a far way to offsetting the cost of other sports in the schools and, in some instances, subsidising school budgets.
Maybe he also forgot that sports is a vital part of the school curriculum and not every boy (or girl) who takes part would be able to take part in a club setting outside of the school.
Maybe he does not know that most times the school systems are better organised than the clubs and the coaches are better than those in the clubs.
Maybe he did not do his homework before he spoke. What he needs to do is to develop the overall coaching systems he promised over 10 years ago that can be used at the schools and age group club levels
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