Football IQ Test

[Paul Marin]

This of course makes eminent sense.

However for the level of debate in this particular forum....it's far too profound. Were we to follow this construct...we would be yappin' interminably re this issue for years (even moreso than occurs now if that's imaginable )

So to avoid some of the tangential yappin...Let's distill the issue contextually like this:

Given that JA football is characterized by...

(a) The lack of a structured development system
(b) Very poor play by clubs with woeful infrastructure
(c) Youths with massive potential.... but abysmal technical & tactical training
(d) Our available resources are limited to the point of being ridiculous....so prioritization is paramount
(e) The current strategies have been an abysmal failure at WCQ for 17 years.. WCQ the obvious focus in that period
(f) Our only senior WCQ was with mostly local players...and that brilliantly popular WCQ DID NOT spark any appreciable development effort

What should be the PRIMARY OBJECTIVE or the MOST DESIRABLE OUTCOME of Jamaican football (in the context of its woefully backward state) say...within any 8 year period.
For the sake of clarity of argument let's treat the choices below as mutually exclusive (even though they may indeed be related )

1. Use any & all available means to try to qualify for whatever the "next World Cup" may be

or

2. Try our best to create a sustainable football industry where our kids are well trained and our clubs are on a path to viability???


Which policy path would you favor?

Of course #2 makes the most sense academically. Practically, however, they are related. So in other words, while #2 represents the long term objective, #1 has to be - MUST BE - the objective for people "on the ground" (national team players, coaches, staff etc.) and therefore it cannot be simply dismissed. Here's an example: if you went to Brendan Rodgers and said "You are £150m short of Chelsea in squad value, is it unrealistic for you to win the league?" His answer should be "F-u! Of course we can win the league!" Why? B/C he HAS TO say that...just like Winnie HAS TO say we can qualify for the next world cup. However, this does not mean that the two objectives above are at cross purposes, I believe you can absolutely have #1 and #2 as simultaneous objectives, you just have to do your best on #1 but make sure it is not at the expense of #2. Does that make sense?

[Don1]

Well I can't speak for that Rogers fellow...I know nothing about him

What I do know is history, reality & data...and how this should shape POLICY. Not merely what a coach says to be politic

1. Even if the JFF suddenly became interested in development...they have neither the money nor the managerial expertise to run effective WCQ and extensive development programs simultaneously. Jamaica has to CHOOSE what to prioritize

2. We have now seen 4 failed WCQ cycles....PLUS zero development.

I don't know about anyone else...but when I see a failure I recognize it...and see the need for change. Continuing on the failed path is MADNESS

It's really not complicated.... I understand that people are emotionally hooked on seeing JA play in a World Cup tournament...Yes that's an emotional high and an occasion to say how great we are and boast about it to others. I would do that as a lover of the game & JA

As a strategist...those emotional feelings are unimportant. It's about the optimal path forward for the JA game...not looking forward to beating my chest

[Muadib]

5. Integration of 1-3 into a cohesive formula.

[Paul Marin]

Can't disagree...and I think you hit the main nail on the head: we "have neither the money nor the managerial expertise" to do anything really.