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Bora makes changes for Malaysia
Bora makes changes
19-y-o goalie debuts as Boyz tackle Malaysia Ian Burnett, Sports Editor
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic (second left) speaks to Jamaican players at a team training session in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. (Photo: Michael Blair) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic will wring in the changes as Jamaica's backup senior footballers face further scrutiny today when they challenge Malaysia here at the National Stadium at 8:45 pm (7:45 am Jamaica time).
Harbour View's 19-year-old Dwayne Miller will tend goal in his first senior international cap, while captain Donald Stewart and vice-captain Fabian Davis will give way to the less experienced pair Richard Edwards of Harbour View and Mario Harrison of Reno, respectively.
"It's also a good opportunity to give a little chance to some other players," Bora told the Observer after the team's final training session at the PKNS FC training facilities in Kelana Jaya, about 20 minutes' ride from the team's Grand Blue Wave Hotel in Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur.
Edwards has been given the vital anchor midfield position alongside Reno's Nicholy Finlayson, while Harrison and Demar Phillips (Waterhouse) will provide width in midfield with Fabian Taylor (Harbour View) and Wolry Wolfe (Portmore United) in attack.
Dwayne Miller The defensive line will be Christopher Harvey (Harbour View) and Adrian Reid (Portmore United) playing centre back, with Lovel Palmer (Harbour View) and Mario Swaby (Portmore United) occupying the flanks.
Bora's mantra for the group remains the same. ""Let's play the game, enjoy it, give good effort, be intelligent, don't make mistakes, concentrate, fight for your country, show pride, everything.
"These games are a great experience for them to take them to the next level in the future," Bora insisted.
Since beginning the four-nation Asian tour a week ago, the second-stringers have lost 1-2 to Indonesia under adverse conditions, and then three days later they surrendered meekly 0-3 to Vietnam.
After today's game, the team travels west to the Middle East to face Iran, the highest ranked team (47th) of the four nations on the Coca-Cola FIFA Ranking.
Despite the unfavourable results, Bora remains resolute that progress is being made; that the tour was one of providing experience and exposure for the group.
"We need to understand so many things about the players... the results haven't been good, but for me, the players have very good attitude, they try always, and the only way to get a good result is to play the game."
Regarding Miller on debut, Bora said: "The goalkeeper, tomorrow he is going to play his first game. Normally I don't judge him in relation with the result. Is it going to be good for him for the future, we need to see. He has great courage, now we need to see his personality."
Bora was also happy to welcome back Fabian Taylor, whose absence has had a significant effect on the group. Taylor is the more senior of only two strikers in the 20-man squad and without him the coach was forced to employ attacking midfielder Wolfe in the striker's role.
"It is good he (Taylor) is back with the group, I don't know how long he will play, but he is another option."
Malaysia, ranked 149th on the FIFA list, and the most affluent of the three nations toured thus far, will host Group C of the AFC Asian Cup, which begins on July 7.
They are pitted against tough oppositions such as Iran, China and Uzbekistan and open their campaign on July 10 against China.
In their most recent friendly against the United Arab Emirates last Thursday, they lost 1-3 at the National Stadium, where reports are that only about 10,000 patrons turned out for free admission to support the team.
19-y-o goalie debuts as Boyz tackle Malaysia Ian Burnett, Sports Editor
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic (second left) speaks to Jamaican players at a team training session in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. (Photo: Michael Blair) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic will wring in the changes as Jamaica's backup senior footballers face further scrutiny today when they challenge Malaysia here at the National Stadium at 8:45 pm (7:45 am Jamaica time).Harbour View's 19-year-old Dwayne Miller will tend goal in his first senior international cap, while captain Donald Stewart and vice-captain Fabian Davis will give way to the less experienced pair Richard Edwards of Harbour View and Mario Harrison of Reno, respectively.
"It's also a good opportunity to give a little chance to some other players," Bora told the Observer after the team's final training session at the PKNS FC training facilities in Kelana Jaya, about 20 minutes' ride from the team's Grand Blue Wave Hotel in Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur.
Edwards has been given the vital anchor midfield position alongside Reno's Nicholy Finlayson, while Harrison and Demar Phillips (Waterhouse) will provide width in midfield with Fabian Taylor (Harbour View) and Wolry Wolfe (Portmore United) in attack.
Dwayne Miller The defensive line will be Christopher Harvey (Harbour View) and Adrian Reid (Portmore United) playing centre back, with Lovel Palmer (Harbour View) and Mario Swaby (Portmore United) occupying the flanks.Bora's mantra for the group remains the same. ""Let's play the game, enjoy it, give good effort, be intelligent, don't make mistakes, concentrate, fight for your country, show pride, everything.
"These games are a great experience for them to take them to the next level in the future," Bora insisted.
Since beginning the four-nation Asian tour a week ago, the second-stringers have lost 1-2 to Indonesia under adverse conditions, and then three days later they surrendered meekly 0-3 to Vietnam.
After today's game, the team travels west to the Middle East to face Iran, the highest ranked team (47th) of the four nations on the Coca-Cola FIFA Ranking.
Despite the unfavourable results, Bora remains resolute that progress is being made; that the tour was one of providing experience and exposure for the group.
"We need to understand so many things about the players... the results haven't been good, but for me, the players have very good attitude, they try always, and the only way to get a good result is to play the game."
Regarding Miller on debut, Bora said: "The goalkeeper, tomorrow he is going to play his first game. Normally I don't judge him in relation with the result. Is it going to be good for him for the future, we need to see. He has great courage, now we need to see his personality."
Bora was also happy to welcome back Fabian Taylor, whose absence has had a significant effect on the group. Taylor is the more senior of only two strikers in the 20-man squad and without him the coach was forced to employ attacking midfielder Wolfe in the striker's role.
"It is good he (Taylor) is back with the group, I don't know how long he will play, but he is another option."
Malaysia, ranked 149th on the FIFA list, and the most affluent of the three nations toured thus far, will host Group C of the AFC Asian Cup, which begins on July 7.
They are pitted against tough oppositions such as Iran, China and Uzbekistan and open their campaign on July 10 against China.
In their most recent friendly against the United Arab Emirates last Thursday, they lost 1-3 at the National Stadium, where reports are that only about 10,000 patrons turned out for free admission to support the team.
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