Tweet
Pan Am silver: No testament to youth development
published: Thursday | August 9, 2007
Running around to have roads patched, promises being made left, right and centre all remind us that the election season is upon us. With their special general meeting just months away, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) look keen to get in on the high-wire act.
Out of nowhere the Under 20 team have handed an administration, which many had thought to be dead and buried, what I'm sure they hope will be a lifeline with a historic silver medal at the Pan American Games. If that doesn't make you smile as an avid or even casual supporter of the local game then I don't know what will.
A battered Boxhill-led administration on the heels of failed World Cup bids with the senior, Under 20, Under 17 and women's teams, the unceremonious early exit in the Digicel Caribbean Cup and several international maulings, which have led to one of the lowest positions ever in our FIFA ranking history, certainly seemed to be on their way out the door.
Good result but ...
However, there is no arguing that the result at the Pan Am Games was a good one, but as to whether it can in any significant way be used as a mandate for the current admisnistarion to continue is a different story entirely.
When they came to power in November 2003 with a mandate to support youth development they certainly would have secured my vote. A strong and vibrant youth programme must of course logically be key to the growth of a robust national programme and it's continued sustenance. However, after nearly four years at the helm can it be said that one positive result means that youth development has been an area aggressively pursued or achieved?
While the success of the Pan Am team was a breath of fresh air, it does not make up for or explain why the other teams failed to make the Youth World Cups, especially given the fact that the Under 17 team had homecourt advantage.
Better focus
With the federation placing such a heavy emphasis on youth development at least making one of the World Cup tournaments would have been a better indicator of the programme's success.
In fact the Pan Am team, just like the others before them, bemoaned the lack of quality fixtures ahead of the tournament and went in the same boat as the other teams did for the qualifiers, but of course came up with better results.
The truth is that while a focus on youth development is the correct way to go the administration fell short in a couple of areas. A serious focus on youth development must include an immediate, aggressive focus on improving the level of coaching islandwide.
This is an issue which cannot be ignored as despite vast amounts of talent, our young players seem to struggle in their knowledge of the game on the pitch.
While it was promised at the national level we are yet to see, as promised, a squad with a huge number of players constantly involved and right now some of our more talented players still have no space in any national programme.
published: Thursday | August 9, 2007
Running around to have roads patched, promises being made left, right and centre all remind us that the election season is upon us. With their special general meeting just months away, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) look keen to get in on the high-wire act.
Out of nowhere the Under 20 team have handed an administration, which many had thought to be dead and buried, what I'm sure they hope will be a lifeline with a historic silver medal at the Pan American Games. If that doesn't make you smile as an avid or even casual supporter of the local game then I don't know what will.
A battered Boxhill-led administration on the heels of failed World Cup bids with the senior, Under 20, Under 17 and women's teams, the unceremonious early exit in the Digicel Caribbean Cup and several international maulings, which have led to one of the lowest positions ever in our FIFA ranking history, certainly seemed to be on their way out the door.
Good result but ...
However, there is no arguing that the result at the Pan Am Games was a good one, but as to whether it can in any significant way be used as a mandate for the current admisnistarion to continue is a different story entirely.
When they came to power in November 2003 with a mandate to support youth development they certainly would have secured my vote. A strong and vibrant youth programme must of course logically be key to the growth of a robust national programme and it's continued sustenance. However, after nearly four years at the helm can it be said that one positive result means that youth development has been an area aggressively pursued or achieved?
While the success of the Pan Am team was a breath of fresh air, it does not make up for or explain why the other teams failed to make the Youth World Cups, especially given the fact that the Under 17 team had homecourt advantage.
Better focus
With the federation placing such a heavy emphasis on youth development at least making one of the World Cup tournaments would have been a better indicator of the programme's success.
In fact the Pan Am team, just like the others before them, bemoaned the lack of quality fixtures ahead of the tournament and went in the same boat as the other teams did for the qualifiers, but of course came up with better results.
The truth is that while a focus on youth development is the correct way to go the administration fell short in a couple of areas. A serious focus on youth development must include an immediate, aggressive focus on improving the level of coaching islandwide.
This is an issue which cannot be ignored as despite vast amounts of talent, our young players seem to struggle in their knowledge of the game on the pitch.
While it was promised at the national level we are yet to see, as promised, a squad with a huge number of players constantly involved and right now some of our more talented players still have no space in any national programme.