Boyz impress Bora despite loss to Chile

[Sir X]

Boyz impress Bora despite loss to Chile

By Ian Burnett Sports Editor
Thursday, June 07, 2007



Technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic has expressed satisfaction with the manner in which his Reggae Boyz handled themselves against Chile in their 0-1 friendly loss at the National Stadium on Tuesday night.

A 19th minute strike from forward Juan Gonzalo Lorca was enough to down the Boyz, but Bora and a number of spectators left the National Stadium upbeat with the vastly-improved performance of the team.
"We need to think of the future of the Jamaican team, so I am happy with the way the team played," Bora told reporters at game's end.

"...the last 15 minutes we played with seven players from the Olympic team and for us this is (an) excellent way for building the team - the Olympic team and the senior team.
"First half-time, second half- time we got occasions to score goal, but we don't score goals, but what is important is that they played the way I like."

The Boyz, in front of a fairly decent-sized crowd, were off to a promising start with midfielder Nicholy Finlayson shooting wide from just outside the penalty area in the fourth minute, after a good build-up.

The locals were still expressing themselves positively, but coughed up an opportunity on 13 minutes when Matias Fernandez, from Spain's Villareal FC, crashed a grounder against Richard McCallum's right hand post.

That was a warning the Boyz failed to heed, and six minutes later, Lorca was on hand to ram home from an acute angle after a swift counter attack on Jamaica's left side.
But the Boyz kept hitting back and Luton Shelton, who was a thorn in the Chileans' side, slammed a right-footer against Nicolas Peric's cross bar.

And just before the break, an unchallenged captain, Donald Stewart, turned a right-sided cross over the top from close range.
The second half petered out somewhat with Bora employing eight changes to Chile's four, but Fabian Taylor had a grand opportunity to pull his team level just after the hour mark.

The build-up was superb. It involved a number of players on both sides of the field and it appeared deliberate. With the ball moving sweetly from side-to-side, it ended on the left with Demar Phillips, who had a good game, sweeping the ball deep into the penalty area to Taylor, who headed down into the welcoming arms of Peric from six yards.
Also, McCallum was forced into a brilliant reflex save at the death as Chile pushed forward on the counter attack.

"I know the public likes to win, if somebody likes to win, I do. But I hope you understand what is the difference between winning the game and being winners. We need to prepare the team to be winners," reasoned Bora.

"The other game (against Panama) we drew 1-1, so first it is very important who you play, how you play, your concentration, occasions to score goals, if you play intelligent... everything was okay," said Bora.
"We don't score goals, we had occasions, but what is important is that many young players played for the first time, but we need to give them opportunity to play.

"Now is the moment, but when it comes closer to qualification games I need to make decision to see who will go to play. Normally people speak of players outside the country, but you see our players how they played and I am very happy. I don't like to mention names, but Swaby (Mario) and Taylor (Fabian) they played a great game, they did not receive a goal, but it's not important.

"They're (scoring chances) not important, but what is important is to create the chance. But the problem is if you don't create the chance, what (are) you going to do?
"Today we miss, but the day that we need to score we are going to score. No problem."

Bora added: "We need to hold possession of the ball, for example, today (Tuesday) my team made three, four actions incredible, good, we don't score the goal. If he kicked a little to right it would have (been) a goal, but it was excellent action. But more important was the attitude they have when they don't score goal."
The technical boss also addressed questions about the overseas-based players.

"Just now I need to see the players, nobody's eliminated, all players of Jamaica have chance, they just need to play how we are training.
Jamaica - Richard McCallum, Jermaine Taylor (Damion Stewart 46th), Christopher Harvey, Mario Swaby (Wolry Wolfe 46th), Lovel Palmer (Xavian Virgo 81st), Donald Stewart (Richard Edwards 46th - Mario Harrison 90th), Nicholy Finlayson (Keneil Moodie 66th), Demar Phillips, Fabian Davis (Sean Fraser 69th), Ricardo Fuller (Fabian Taylor 58th), Luton Shelton.

Subs not used: Allien Whittaker, Adrian Reid, Donovan Davis.
Booked: Donald Stewart (45th)
Chile - Nicolas Peric, Ismael Fuentes, Jorge Vargas (Rodrigo Melendez), Jose Luis Cabron, Gonzalo Fierro (Carlos Villanueva 78th), Arturo Vidal, Arturo Sanhueza, Matias Fernandez, Jorge Valdivia, Julio Guitierrez (Alvaro Ormeno 66th), Juan Gonzalo Lorca (Manuel Iturra 90th).
Subs not used: Claudio Bravo, Sebastian Roco, Luis Jimenez, Roberto Guitierrez

Referee: Jose Rivas (Nicaragua)
Assistant Referees: Rohan Thorbourne, Garnet Page (Jamaica)
Fourth Official: Dave Peterkin (Jamaica)
Match Commissary: Charles Barrett (Jamaica)

[Sir X]

Bora lauds Phillips for a superb performance
published: Thursday | June 7, 2007


Demar Phillips (right) evades two Chilean opponents during Tuesday night's friendly match at the National Stadium. Chile won 1-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

JAMAICA'S TECHNICAL director, Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, lauded winger Demar Phillips for his outstanding performance against South American side Chile at the National Stadium on Tuesday night.

"He played a very good game," said Milutinovic, who took over the reins as technical director from Wendell Downswell last November. "I am very happy to have somebody like him in the team because he is a good player so that's the reason why he is with us."

Milutinovic was speaking at the post-game press conference after his side lost a keenly fought encounter 1-0.

Phillips said after the game that he was delighted with his performance and hoped to maintain his place in the side for next year's World Cup qualifiers.

Dazzling skills

"I have to continue to train hard and go out there to do my best for my country whenever I get the chance to play because I know I am going to be successful," said Phillips, who represents Waterhouse in the National Premier League.

Phillips, who has played in Jamaica's last four practice matches, delighted the home crowd with his dazzling dribbling skills down the left flank and his off-the-ball movement which created a number of openings for the Reggae Boyz after they went behind early in the first half.

He also delivered a number of accurate crosses which the strikers failed to capitalise on.

"The team played good tonight but we weren't finishing the chances whenever we got them. All of us really gave of our best, but it's just one of those nights that we did not score," Phillips said.

[Sir X]

>>>>He also delivered a number of accurate crosses which the strikers failed to capitalise on<<<<


HHHMMMMMMM!

[Karl]

Bora satisfied despite loss

Bora satisfied despite loss
published: Friday | June 8, 2007

Jamaica's Demar Phillips (right) was Jamaica's best player in their friendly international against Chile at the National Stadium, on Tuesday night. Chile won 1-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer


Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor

DEFENDING HIS decision of not selecting some senior overseas-based Reggae Boyz for Tuesday night's friendly international against Chile at the National Stadium, technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic says the young and inexperienced players he chose need the chance to develop.

A number of regular Boyz who play in the United Kingdom, including central defender Claude Davis and midfielder Jermaine 'Teddy' Johnson - who was present at the match - were not invited to the squad. But Milutinovic says their involvement is not crucial at this stage.

"What is important is to give the young players a chance to play because some of them are playing at this level for the first time. So we need to give them an opportunity to play," Milutinovic pointed out in response to queries at the post-game press conference.

Continuing, he queried rhetorically: "Who are we going to use when the overseas players can't come?"

Scouting for fresh talent
The selection issue had been bandied about in the media and football circles prior to and even during the match, which Chile won 1-0, courtesy of a goal scored by Juan Gonzalo Lorca in the 20th minute.

Since taking up the football job here in November last year, Milutinovic has been scouting the island and has included a number of untried players for training and practice internationals as he builds a squad for 2010 World Cup qualification, which begins next year.

The qualifiers are set to start in the first quarter of 2008, but Serbian-born Milutinovic says he has no intention of ending his recruitment drive at this point, and further, has not set a cut-off date.

"Now is the not moment," he said. "When we get closer to qualification games I need to make a decision."

Reasoning along the same trend, Milutinovic said the fact that the Jamaica team lost was less significant than the preparation given to both the inexperienced senior team players and several Under-23s gearing towards next month's Pan-Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Cohesive team
The match itself, watched by close to a half-full stadium, was the best played by the Boyz under Bora's guidance as the team was cohesive, had a distinct shape, played with discipline and people were angled in good supporting positions on a consistent basis.

The first half was full of action and quite entertaining with a high level of attacking play and many goal-area skirmishes. For the locals, diminutive Demar Phillips was a stand-out with some dangerous crosses before goal, while operating from the left midfield flank in the first half and later left full back.

Jamaica also made a number of changes in the second half and it took some spark and momentum from their play.

Despite that, the team held its formation and continued to effectively match up against the South American team, even as the game degenerated into a hot-tempered affair with some late and rash challenges and much facing-off.

"The way how they played today, the position, the discipline, everything was good," assessed Milutinovic.

"We made some mistakes, and what is important is the team we played andChile is pretty good team, because they've got so many players that play abroad and they are in a different situation from us.

"But I like the way how we played earlier in the first half and in the second half. We played to score goals, but we didn't scored any goals. But what is important is that they played the way how I like."
He added: "Now the momentum is good, now maybe we go to play our next match abroad, but what is important is to give our players experience because most of our players don't have experience."