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I've got my job cut out for me, says Brown
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
BROWN. there's the question of culture and attitude here
Newly appointed technical director of Cayman football, Jamaican Carl Brown, admits that his new job in the British territory will not be a walk in the park.
Brown, 56, who signed a two-year deal with the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) recently, said the essence of his mandate is to build a sustainable programme that will eventually see the overall upgrade of the island's football.
"I have got my job cut out for me... I have begun to work on a programme which has started with the Under-23s," he said. "Of course, there is the question of culture and attitude here that we have to work on... it's different in Jamaica as many of the players here are not professionals," he added.
But the former Jamaica and Boys' Town captain said he is encouraged by the response of the players since he started working with them about a month ago.
"The good thing is that we're seeing improvement in the attitude of the players... they have been responding well and that encourages me," Brown said from Grand Cayman yesterday.
Cayman's Under-23s are in preparation for an Olympic Games qualifying tournament to be staged in neighbouring Cuba from September 9-13, and Brown expects tough opposition from the hosts, Bermuda and Puerto Rico.
"It's going to be a tough competition considering that the hosts are good... Bermuda, too, will pose a problem because I recall Jamaica playing them twice down there and they gave us some trouble, but we don't know much about the Puerto Ricans," said the 25-year coaching veteran.
Leading up to next month's play-offs, the Cayman Under-23s train at least five days a week and twice on some days.
Brown will also be responsible for guiding the Cayman Islands (ranked No 185 by FIFA) in the upcoming World Cup qualification campaign.
Brown is one of Jamaica's most successful coaches who reaped success in the Caribbean Cup in 1991 and 1998 as head coach and piloted the Reggae Boyz to a creditable third-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup of 1993.
He 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 run, 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 axed as head coach following Jamaica's failed World Cup campaign in November 2004.
The former Jamaica defender also had an internship with English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers.
Brown succeeded Marcos Tinoco as boss of the Caymanian national team, and was recommended for the post by Jamaican Captain Horace Burrell.
When reached yesterday, the president of CIFA, Jeffrey Webb, said he expects great things from Brown in taking Cayman football foward.
"We have always held Carl in high esteem, so we expect that he will take our football foward... the aim now is football development and the development of our young men," said the CIFA head. "We don't just see Carl's role as a coach, but as a mentor."
SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
BROWN. there's the question of culture and attitude here
Newly appointed technical director of Cayman football, Jamaican Carl Brown, admits that his new job in the British territory will not be a walk in the park.
Brown, 56, who signed a two-year deal with the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) recently, said the essence of his mandate is to build a sustainable programme that will eventually see the overall upgrade of the island's football.
"I have got my job cut out for me... I have begun to work on a programme which has started with the Under-23s," he said. "Of course, there is the question of culture and attitude here that we have to work on... it's different in Jamaica as many of the players here are not professionals," he added.
But the former Jamaica and Boys' Town captain said he is encouraged by the response of the players since he started working with them about a month ago.
"The good thing is that we're seeing improvement in the attitude of the players... they have been responding well and that encourages me," Brown said from Grand Cayman yesterday.
Cayman's Under-23s are in preparation for an Olympic Games qualifying tournament to be staged in neighbouring Cuba from September 9-13, and Brown expects tough opposition from the hosts, Bermuda and Puerto Rico.
"It's going to be a tough competition considering that the hosts are good... Bermuda, too, will pose a problem because I recall Jamaica playing them twice down there and they gave us some trouble, but we don't know much about the Puerto Ricans," said the 25-year coaching veteran.
Leading up to next month's play-offs, the Cayman Under-23s train at least five days a week and twice on some days.
Brown will also be responsible for guiding the Cayman Islands (ranked No 185 by FIFA) in the upcoming World Cup qualification campaign.
Brown is one of Jamaica's most successful coaches who reaped success in the Caribbean Cup in 1991 and 1998 as head coach and piloted the Reggae Boyz to a creditable third-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup of 1993.
He 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 run, 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 axed as head coach following Jamaica's failed World Cup campaign in November 2004.
The former Jamaica defender also had an internship with English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers.
Brown succeeded Marcos Tinoco as boss of the Caymanian national team, and was recommended for the post by Jamaican Captain Horace Burrell.
When reached yesterday, the president of CIFA, Jeffrey Webb, said he expects great things from Brown in taking Cayman football foward.
"We have always held Carl in high esteem, so we expect that he will take our football foward... the aim now is football development and the development of our young men," said the CIFA head. "We don't just see Carl's role as a coach, but as a mentor."
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