Schaefer calls for diaspora meeting of all stakeholders.

[Sir X]

All aboard!
Schäefer believes nationalistic approach will grow Ja’s football

Friday, February 21, 2014

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SCHÄEFER... I think all coaches and businesses need to co-operate

NATIONAL head coach Winifried Schäefer said cooperation among all stakeholders will be crucial to the success of Jamaica’s overall football product, pointing to a more nationalistic approach.

The German noted that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) coaches, administrators, sponsors and other partners must sit together to chart a course that will ultimately end in the upliftment of Jamaica's football landscape.

"I think all coaches and businesses need to cooperate. We need to talk together (to see) what can we do to have better football in Jamaica," he said, as he addressed the Jamaica Observer Sports Club at the tabloid’s headquarters recently.

Schäefer stressed the importance of sponsorship, and such is his eagerness to get the ball rolling in that area, that he has sought help in his native country.

“I want to bring Jamaican football (to the top) but we need money... we need sponsors.

“I have been talking to some people back in Germany, but we need (to start) from Jamaica, we need to change the way we play football and then we might see many sponsors.

If our football go up, then the support will go up,” said the experienced tactician. Schäefer, who has agreed in principle to a new fouryear arrangement as head coach of the senior programme, argued that critical to the process, as well, will be the roles of local leagues and coaches.

"I want help for Jamaican football. For four months I thought we needed a meeting with all clubs, with all coaches and I want to tell the coaches that when you build a good national team, it all goes back to the clubs.

The coaches and the clubs make national players, not the (national) coach,” Schäefer said.

Another idea of his is to have a forum where most, if not all, coaches sit with him and talk about players. Schäefer, who led Cameroon to the African Cup of Nations title back in 2002, outlined that despite the drawbacks, he believes football has grown in Jamaica. "The base is in the youth.

Our youth talent is the future in Jamaica. Jamaica is a very proud and beautiful country, but for football we need more — better fields, more training, the best coaches, then we can go forward," he ended.

— Sherdon Cowan

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[Sir X]

That was suggested here, and it should be done every 2 to 3 years,these are commonsense initiatives.

[Stonigut]

Another idea of his is to have a forum where most, if not all, coaches sit with him and talk about players. Schäefer, who led Cameroon to the African Cup of Nations title back in 2002, outlined that despite the drawbacks, he believes football has grown in Jamaica. "The base is in the youth.

What the hell, that is one hell of a novel idea, can you imagine a regional coaches forum, actually sitting and talking about strong points and weak points of the best players, what the players and coaches need to do to improve so that at the next visit or couple of visits we can see if there is growth or not. Best of all you get great insight into personality and ability to adapt to people, place and change of each of these players.

Maybe we can start seeing the best fighters/ balanced personalities with excellent talent being chosen consistently at a club then national level.

[Jangle]

What I don't understand is this statement that has been reported in the papers several times:

"Schäefer, who has agreed in principle to a new four year arrangement as head coach of the senior programme"

[Karl]

Agreed!

Together we are stronger!!!
No egos...please!

[Jangle]

A necessary component needed in Jamaican football.





The value of statistics in sports
Published: Thursday | February 20, 2014

Hubert Lawrence

I'm not a big fan of American domestic sports. Maybe that's because they are unfamiliar. Maybe it's a knee-jerk reaction to local club leagues crowning world champions when the teams all come from the same country.

Despite that, there's something I've always admired about domestic American sports. All of them generate reams of statistics. The US sports fan can go to town and dissect points, assists, free throw percentages, blocks, pass completion, interceptions, sacks and yardage. These statistics provide a far more objective basis for choosing the best players for a team, for the season or for all time. Even better, they create more points of interest for fans and analysts alike.

For many moons, that was missing in the world's most popular sport. All Association Football generated was goal-scoring statistics. It's no wonder goalscorers are often the only ones to be considered the best players in the sport.

Possession statistics arrived next. Corner counting came next, and now, televised football has grown into a sport replete with statistics. Tackles, fouls, cards and cautions, offsides, saves and shots on or off target all add to a more fulsome understanding of the game.

If a game finishes 0-0, but one team has more shots on target, more corners and more possession in the attacking third, and if they forced more saves from the opposing goalkeeper and hit the woodwork often, the statistics would say that team came closest to winning. Goals win games, of course, and that is the true test of superiority in football, but you can see where the statistics are going.

In this era, a defender - Fabio Cannavaro of Italy - was named the most valuable player of the 2006 World Cup. He wasn't the top scorer but his influence on games earned him the top spot.

Stats add to entertainment

Simply put, the statistics add to the entertainment. Go to the 2014 Penn Relays and you'll see entertainment statistics in action. They engage crews of people to time each member of almost every 4x400, 4x800, 4xmile, sprint medley and distance medley. The times or relay splits are boomed out by the public-address announcer for instant comparison by the fans.

If the split is big, the fans roar their appreciation.

These official splits allow fans to compare Penn Relays stars past and present. For example, Ristananna Tracey and Inez Turner share the fastest 4x800 high-school relay split, with Penn anchor legs of 2 minutes 03.2 seconds in 2011 and 1991, respectively.

It's something that might add value to the presentation of track meets here in Jamaica. If World 4x400 silver-medal winner Javon Francis of Calabar has to hustle in the 4x400 to catch the season-leading St Jago team at this Saturday's Gibson Relays, fans would probably love to know his split right away. Last year, Edwin Allen's Marlene Eubanks accelerated to a 2.05.9 4x800 split. Who knows how fast she will go this year?

For meets with relays, the relay split is a big part of the entertainment. It adds to what we see and separates big performances from modest ones. Better yet, it gives fans a little bit more to ponder.

Hubert Lawrence has been timing splits at the Gibson Relays for more than 20 years.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports4.html

[Assasin]

Him coach till them mix his money with copper. JFF don't have all the money but still looking sponsors to cover his contract.

[Karl]

What I don't understand is this statement that has been reported in the papers several times:

"Schäefer, who has agreed in principle to a new four year arrangement as head coach of the senior programme"

I see your take...I think?!
Suggests he is not yet fully committed. Could there be areas where input or agreement is up in the air?

[Jangle]

Him coach till them mix his money with copper. JFF don't have all the money but still looking sponsors to cover his contract.

or them start pay him with packets of Lasco.

[Assasin]

As I have been saying for a long time, the Jamaican coaches are too divided and do too much backbiting.

They need to work as a team. One thing I learn with American soccer coaches and that is they work as a team and sit as a unit pick all star teams, talking about players strength and weakness and how to make their leagues better.

Until we work as a team, we will get nowhere.

[Assasin]

Only so much Hard dough Bread a man can eat. LOL

[Karl]

The USA coaches are just better at networking and more sophisticated as they engage in 'back biting'. (Nice simile and positioning before the knife in the back when least expected. ...fact is, sometimes it takes the knifed a little while to know, feel and understand the knife is in).

...our JA bredrin an sistren dem jus 'bareface' plunge the damn knife innah back!!!

[HL]

...this forum serves as a case-study in what you and 'ssasin just described.....

...maybe it's genetic....!!???? .....

[Karl]

There is much rough rampin roun ere.

I have seen just about everyone at it.
Fact is, I cannot think of one poster who has not at times given a jab or two!!!

I know that I have engaged in it myself.
I wonder who has had the most swings taken at (wry suh-mile!)

[Assasin]

Karl regardless how uncivilized the American coaches can be, they know they have to come as a unit sometimes and work as a team.

Yes they still have problem but they know they can only benefit and make their league stronger as a unit.