Brown for Cayman
Veteran coach to be confirmed as CI's new technical director
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, August 09, 2007
BROWN... I hope it will be a long-term arrangement
VETERAN Jamaican coach Carl Brown will be responsible for spearheading the revival of football in the Cayman Islands when he is officially unveiled as technical director in the coming days.
Brown, 56, has been acting in the position for the past month or so, but declined to give specifics about his new appointment, saying "it's a little premature to comment at this time".
"... I cannot say what the specific terms of the arrangement will be, but will be able to do so in a couple of days at an upcoming press conference. But yes, I will be in charge of the programme," Brown said from the Cayman Islands yesterday.
"I hope it will be a long-term arrangement as there's no quick-fix to the problems of Cayman football," he added.
Brown said a lack of international exposure has stymied the island's thrust towards closing the gap on the more established teams in the region.
"There is certainly talent here, but there has been a shortage of experience, and that's something I aim to work on," Brown said.
Since arriving in the British territory, the former national captain has been working with the Under-23 team which is preparing for Olympic Qualifiers due next month in Cuba.
"I have been working with the Under-23 team in preparation for the Olympic qualifications, but of course I've been looking at other aspects of the football here," Brown noted.
In relation to his responsibility as Cayman's technical director, Brown has already embarked on scouting missions for the various age-group teams for the country renowned for its offshore banking facilities.
"Cable & Wireless has been staging a number of camps with youngsters, so I've been able to take a look at a (wide base) of talent," he said.
Brown, who will succeed Marcos Tinoco, who took over Tanzania's Olympic team, told the Observer that choosing Cayman (ranked No 185 by FIFA) was an easy career decision as he has had a long-running relationship with the territory and its football authorities.
"Cayman has been like a second home to me as I have had good relationships with the coaches here and the president of the football federation," he said.
Brown, who represented Jamaica from 1970 to 1980, said his experience as coach and familiarity with Cayman football will be his main assets in his bid to develop the sport in that country.
The players, he said, have exhibited exemplary attitude so far and he is looking forward to "working with them".
Brown, who captained Boys' Town and Jamaica for a number of years, is one of Jamaica's most successful coaches, reaping success in the Caribbean Cup in 1991 as head coach and guiding the Reggae Boyz to a creditable third-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup of 1993.
Brown has had five stints as Jamaica's head coach and was deputy to Brazilians Rene Simoes, Clovis de Oliveira and Sebastiao Lazaroni (twice) since 1994.
His last stint as head coach, a three-month arrangement with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), saw him guiding the team to four wins, one draw and one defeat. The last game was a 1-1 tie with Peru at the National Stadium last November.
Brown was also at the helm when the Reggae Boyz were eliminated last year in the first round of the Digicel Caribbean Cup after beating St Lucia 4-0, losing 1-2 to St Vincent & the Grenadines, and beating Haiti 2-0 - when they needed to win by three clear goals to advance.
A 25-year coaching veteran, who had an internship with English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers, Brown was axed following Jamaica's failed World Cup campaign in November 2004.
"The decision was quite easy (as) Brown has a tremendous wealth of knowledge in coaching... I feel honoured to have him on our coaching staff," CIFA president Jeffrey Webb said last month when it was first learnt that Brown was shifting shores.
- Additional reporting by Bev Melbourne
Veteran coach to be confirmed as CI's new technical director
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, August 09, 2007
BROWN... I hope it will be a long-term arrangement
VETERAN Jamaican coach Carl Brown will be responsible for spearheading the revival of football in the Cayman Islands when he is officially unveiled as technical director in the coming days.
Brown, 56, has been acting in the position for the past month or so, but declined to give specifics about his new appointment, saying "it's a little premature to comment at this time".
"... I cannot say what the specific terms of the arrangement will be, but will be able to do so in a couple of days at an upcoming press conference. But yes, I will be in charge of the programme," Brown said from the Cayman Islands yesterday.
"I hope it will be a long-term arrangement as there's no quick-fix to the problems of Cayman football," he added.
Brown said a lack of international exposure has stymied the island's thrust towards closing the gap on the more established teams in the region.
"There is certainly talent here, but there has been a shortage of experience, and that's something I aim to work on," Brown said.
Since arriving in the British territory, the former national captain has been working with the Under-23 team which is preparing for Olympic Qualifiers due next month in Cuba.
"I have been working with the Under-23 team in preparation for the Olympic qualifications, but of course I've been looking at other aspects of the football here," Brown noted.
In relation to his responsibility as Cayman's technical director, Brown has already embarked on scouting missions for the various age-group teams for the country renowned for its offshore banking facilities.
"Cable & Wireless has been staging a number of camps with youngsters, so I've been able to take a look at a (wide base) of talent," he said.
Brown, who will succeed Marcos Tinoco, who took over Tanzania's Olympic team, told the Observer that choosing Cayman (ranked No 185 by FIFA) was an easy career decision as he has had a long-running relationship with the territory and its football authorities.
"Cayman has been like a second home to me as I have had good relationships with the coaches here and the president of the football federation," he said.
Brown, who represented Jamaica from 1970 to 1980, said his experience as coach and familiarity with Cayman football will be his main assets in his bid to develop the sport in that country.
The players, he said, have exhibited exemplary attitude so far and he is looking forward to "working with them".
Brown, who captained Boys' Town and Jamaica for a number of years, is one of Jamaica's most successful coaches, reaping success in the Caribbean Cup in 1991 as head coach and guiding the Reggae Boyz to a creditable third-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup of 1993.
Brown has had five stints as Jamaica's head coach and was deputy to Brazilians Rene Simoes, Clovis de Oliveira and Sebastiao Lazaroni (twice) since 1994.
His last stint as head coach, a three-month arrangement with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), saw him guiding the team to four wins, one draw and one defeat. The last game was a 1-1 tie with Peru at the National Stadium last November.
Brown was also at the helm when the Reggae Boyz were eliminated last year in the first round of the Digicel Caribbean Cup after beating St Lucia 4-0, losing 1-2 to St Vincent & the Grenadines, and beating Haiti 2-0 - when they needed to win by three clear goals to advance.
A 25-year coaching veteran, who had an internship with English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers, Brown was axed following Jamaica's failed World Cup campaign in November 2004.
"The decision was quite easy (as) Brown has a tremendous wealth of knowledge in coaching... I feel honoured to have him on our coaching staff," CIFA president Jeffrey Webb said last month when it was first learnt that Brown was shifting shores.
- Additional reporting by Bev Melbourne
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