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Jamaica link binds Costa Rica in Gold Cup
Jamaica link binds Costa Rica in Gold Cup
Canada's Robert Friend (background) heads the ball as [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Costa [COLOR=blue! important]Rica's[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] Harold Wallace defends in the first half of the CONCACAF Gold Cup match in Miami on June 6. - ap
GORDON WILLIAMS, Contributor
miami, florida
Their names catch the eye when scanning Costa Rica's Gold Cup roster, but could easily [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]pop [COLOR=blue! important]up[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] in any Kingston directory.
Their English accents could smoothly mingle from Morant Point to Montego Bay.
HaroldWallace, Jervis Drummond and Dexter Lewis stand out in a Spanish-flavoured football squad dominated by names such as Centeno, Nunez, Fonseca, Barrantos, Azofeifa and Saborio. And although the trio pledge their undying unity with the Central American team, which advanced to the quarter-final round of the CONCACAF tournament following a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe on Monday night at the Orange Bowl here, the descendants of migrant Jamaicans still embrace their island ties.
Jamaican english
"When we grow, from small, (our elders) teach us to talk English, Jamaican English," said 30-year-old Drummond, who has represented Costa Rica since 1995.
"We eat green banana, all a dem ting deh. So all of that come from Jamaica. The [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]reggae [COLOR=blue! important]music[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and all that, it was all the same (to us)."
Decades ago, the grandfathers of Drummond and Wallace, and Lewis' great grandfather, moved to Costa Rica from [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Jamaica[/COLOR][/COLOR] in search of better living conditions. The trio's own opportunities have come on the playing field. Drummond and Wallace, each with well over 50 international caps, are starting defenders for 'The Ticos' at the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Gold[/COLOR][/COLOR] Cup. Lewis is a reserve goalkeeper. All admit following Jamaica's football fortunes and were alarmed the Reggae Boyz did not qualify for the 12-team tournament in the United States.
"I don't know why Jamaica is not here," said Wallace, 31, who like Drummond were members of Costa Rica's squads to the World Cup finals in 2002 and 2006. "They have very good players."
Walter boyd
Drummond also admires Jamaica's players and particularly remembers ex-national Walter Boyd, "the number 10," whom he described as highly skilful. However, he was quick to add that the Reggae Boyz may need more than individual talent to succeed in the future.
"They have to play in group," he explained. "You just can't play for one man, you understand. So I consider (Jamaica) has good players, but you have to work for (success)."
Wallace, Drummond and Lewis are not the only Costa Ricans with Jamaican roots who have played for 'The Ticos'. A Costa Rican journalist at the Gold Cup estimated that about "60 per cent" of 'The Ticos' squad come from two cities, Limon and Puntarenas, although many moved to richer clubs in San José, the country's capital and largest city.
Descendants of Jamaicans [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]make [COLOR=blue! important]up[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] a significant portion of the population of Limon and Puntarenas. Many [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]speak [COLOR=blue! important]English[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and have earned wealth.
Quarter-final round
Costa Rica's Jervis Drummond (right) is tackled by Guadeloupe's Aurelien Capoue in the first half of the 2007 Gold Cup game in Miami on Monday. Costa Rica won 1-0. - AP
"They own the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]seafood [COLOR=blue! important]companies[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and tourism companies," said the journalist.
Now Costa Rica is focusing on the Gold Cup's quarter-final round, which begins this weekend. As Group A runners-up they will face the runners-up from Group C, which includes traditional football power Mexico, Panama, Honduras and Cuba. Yet 'The Ticos' insist they can claim the top prize.
"We're looking to win the championships," Drummond said. "...(If) you just come and play and don't look for the championships, it's better you don't play football."
Part of being a 'tico' is staying laid-back, similar to the 'no problem' attitude of many Jamaicans. But there's more urgency now in Costa Rica's approach.
'The Ticos' - who have made it to the finals of three World Cups - understand that no team can rest on past accomplishments. Others are catching up - fast.
Asked if he was surprised Jamaica did not qualify for the Gold Cup, Lewis said bluntly: "Well, really, yes. But I see Guadeloupe and Haiti playing very good football... So everybody is getting sharper now."
With World Cup qualifiers due early next year, it's a lesson the Boyz could learn from their distant cousins in Central America. Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.
Canada's Robert Friend (background) heads the ball as [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Costa [COLOR=blue! important]Rica's[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] Harold Wallace defends in the first half of the CONCACAF Gold Cup match in Miami on June 6. - ap
GORDON WILLIAMS, Contributor
miami, florida
Their names catch the eye when scanning Costa Rica's Gold Cup roster, but could easily [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]pop [COLOR=blue! important]up[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] in any Kingston directory.
Their English accents could smoothly mingle from Morant Point to Montego Bay.
HaroldWallace, Jervis Drummond and Dexter Lewis stand out in a Spanish-flavoured football squad dominated by names such as Centeno, Nunez, Fonseca, Barrantos, Azofeifa and Saborio. And although the trio pledge their undying unity with the Central American team, which advanced to the quarter-final round of the CONCACAF tournament following a 1-0 win over Guadeloupe on Monday night at the Orange Bowl here, the descendants of migrant Jamaicans still embrace their island ties.
Jamaican english
"When we grow, from small, (our elders) teach us to talk English, Jamaican English," said 30-year-old Drummond, who has represented Costa Rica since 1995.
"We eat green banana, all a dem ting deh. So all of that come from Jamaica. The [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]reggae [COLOR=blue! important]music[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and all that, it was all the same (to us)."
Decades ago, the grandfathers of Drummond and Wallace, and Lewis' great grandfather, moved to Costa Rica from [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Jamaica[/COLOR][/COLOR] in search of better living conditions. The trio's own opportunities have come on the playing field. Drummond and Wallace, each with well over 50 international caps, are starting defenders for 'The Ticos' at the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Gold[/COLOR][/COLOR] Cup. Lewis is a reserve goalkeeper. All admit following Jamaica's football fortunes and were alarmed the Reggae Boyz did not qualify for the 12-team tournament in the United States.
"I don't know why Jamaica is not here," said Wallace, 31, who like Drummond were members of Costa Rica's squads to the World Cup finals in 2002 and 2006. "They have very good players."
Walter boyd
Drummond also admires Jamaica's players and particularly remembers ex-national Walter Boyd, "the number 10," whom he described as highly skilful. However, he was quick to add that the Reggae Boyz may need more than individual talent to succeed in the future.
"They have to play in group," he explained. "You just can't play for one man, you understand. So I consider (Jamaica) has good players, but you have to work for (success)."
Wallace, Drummond and Lewis are not the only Costa Ricans with Jamaican roots who have played for 'The Ticos'. A Costa Rican journalist at the Gold Cup estimated that about "60 per cent" of 'The Ticos' squad come from two cities, Limon and Puntarenas, although many moved to richer clubs in San José, the country's capital and largest city.
Descendants of Jamaicans [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]make [COLOR=blue! important]up[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] a significant portion of the population of Limon and Puntarenas. Many [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]speak [COLOR=blue! important]English[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and have earned wealth.
Quarter-final round
Costa Rica's Jervis Drummond (right) is tackled by Guadeloupe's Aurelien Capoue in the first half of the 2007 Gold Cup game in Miami on Monday. Costa Rica won 1-0. - AP
"They own the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]seafood [COLOR=blue! important]companies[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] and tourism companies," said the journalist.
Now Costa Rica is focusing on the Gold Cup's quarter-final round, which begins this weekend. As Group A runners-up they will face the runners-up from Group C, which includes traditional football power Mexico, Panama, Honduras and Cuba. Yet 'The Ticos' insist they can claim the top prize.
"We're looking to win the championships," Drummond said. "...(If) you just come and play and don't look for the championships, it's better you don't play football."
Part of being a 'tico' is staying laid-back, similar to the 'no problem' attitude of many Jamaicans. But there's more urgency now in Costa Rica's approach.
'The Ticos' - who have made it to the finals of three World Cups - understand that no team can rest on past accomplishments. Others are catching up - fast.
Asked if he was surprised Jamaica did not qualify for the Gold Cup, Lewis said bluntly: "Well, really, yes. But I see Guadeloupe and Haiti playing very good football... So everybody is getting sharper now."
With World Cup qualifiers due early next year, it's a lesson the Boyz could learn from their distant cousins in Central America. Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.
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