RBSC

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

'I didn't choose myself,' says Coley

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • 'I didn't choose myself,' says Coley

    'I didn't choose myself,' says Coley
    Reggae Boyz assistant coach says he’s up to the task to make Jamaica proud

    BY SANJAY MYERS Observer staff reporter myerss@jamaicaobserver.com

    Wednesday, March 05, 2014

    Miguel Coley ahead of yesterday’s practice session at the Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet. (PHOTO: SANJAY MYERS)

    GROS ISLET, St Lucia — He is a young man tasked with a challenging job, but the confidence he exudes suggests one who is not about to shirk the responsibility.

    The name Miguel Coley was little known in Jamaica's football circles before the 2013 schoolboy season.

    He was in charge of Norman Manley High for five years with moderate success on the field.

    But Jamaica College's refreshing style of attacking football in winning the Manning Cup and all-island Olivier Shield titles last year steered some attention his way, and a few shrewd onlookers took good notice.

    But unparalleled prominence came when Reggae Boyz head coach Winfried Schaefer, on a new four-year contract after a brief stint last year, named the 31-year-old his assistant.

    To complement that choice, Coley is also the head coach of the Under-23s -- a unit that Schaefer has noted is integral to the future of football in the island.

    Public opinion has been split.

    Some met the choice with consternation.

    The naysayers claim he has little experience compared to the dozens of others who have coached at the highest level in local club football. Others feel that Coley, soft-spoken but seemingly assured, is just the man to be the 64-year-old Schaefer's right-hand support.

    "People talk about me being inexperienced, yes, I will admit that, but I can guarantee that in a hurry I will be on top of my game because I'll do the necessary work and it is within my capacity to do that," Coley told the Jamaica Observer on the senior team's friendly international tour of the Eastern Caribbean.

    "I didn't choose myself. Schaefer is a visionary, he knows what he is about and he has been here for a while, so it's not because I won the Manning Cup or the Olivier Shield. You can probably win a competition by playing squad games every day, but he sees some quality in me. He sees the person I am and he is willing to work with me and I'm willing to learn. I'm willing to do justice to the position and make Jamaica proud," the former Holmwood Technical student added.

    Coley, who has played for the Mile Gully football team in Manchester, as well as former national champions Waterhouse FC, went closer to revealing the reason for the choice while he discussed a prickly trend in Jamaica.

    "The difficulty you have sometimes is trying to teach the game because some kids just want to come and play football. They are used to playing squad games and so forth. So trying to stop the game, trying to teach them the correct way to control [the ball] and position themselves is sometimes a hard task," he explained.

    The willingness to teach the game could have well been what the experienced Schaefer saw in Coley.

    And the confident-talking aspirant seems to have an eagerness for the challenge akin to a child in a candy store.

    Jamaica's football lovers were left disappointed after the inept displays in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the Brazil 2014 World Cup, but Coley said he welcomes the chance to be a part of the revamped programme that could land the country success for the Russia 2018 campaign.

    An unbridled patriotism is almost tangible as the nostalgic wheels roll back to the successful run to France 1998.

    "The opportunity to be the assistant national coach is good and one that I embrace, one that I know I can manage.

    "As a coach there will always be expectations. But this is the country that you love and you want to see them (the fans) smiling. As a young man in 1997 when we qualified, you could see the euphoria.

    "As a national team you have a social responsibility to the nation to maintain the pride. Our athletes are warriors and soon we will get it right," he said.

    As a critical Jamaica public looks on, only time will tell if the wily Schaefer and the starry-eyed kid have the necessary ammunition to get it right.


    BLACK LIVES MATTER

  • #2
    Why Tappa could not hack it !

    .....went closer to revealing the reason for the choice while he discussed a prickly trend in Jamaica.

    "The difficulty you have sometimes is trying to teach the game because some kids just want to come and play football. They are used to playing squad games and so forth. So trying to stop the game, trying to teach them the correct way to control [the ball] and position themselves is sometimes a hard task," he explained.

    The willingness to teach the game could have well been what the experienced Schaefer saw in Coley.

    Intelligence!
    THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

    "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


    "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

    Comment


    • #3
      I'm honoured to say I know Miguel Coley. I met him when he coached Barbican FC, he probably still does. And from there I watched his Norman Manley High School take on Excelsior one afternoon.

      If you like a coach that doesn't throw tantrums on the sidelines, as many here have commented in the past, then you'll like Coley. He has a very calm demeanour, almost to the point of too calm for some people.

      Coley's understanding of the game seems sound, if I may say so myself. He gives thoughtful answers about players when asked as I have had to in recent times. And, for the Historians among us, you won't cringe when he speaks. I happen to be one of those people who would rather hear straight patois than screwed-up English. I recall VCB's earlier days!

      There have been some coaches, like Donovan Duckie, who have publicly expressed their disappointment in not being selected. I personally believe Duckie is at least among the top 3 coaches in the country but his personality - arrogance, nomadic habits - may have been factors why he's on the sidelines. He's too good to be on the sidelines, so hopefully he'll have an attitude adjustment.

      In the meantime, let's all give Miguel Coley our support.
      Last edited by Mosiah; March 5, 2014, 11:45 AM.


      BLACK LIVES MATTER

      Comment


      • #4
        Yup, arrogance and insularity is the very opposite of what we need. Engagement, engagement, engagement at every level, ambitious with as little ego as possible, that of course is tough to find in Jamaica.

        Comment


        • #5
          http://www.cio.com.au/article/391222...q_eq_sq_-_ego/

          Comment


          • #6
            Duckie has walked away from one too many jobs. I doubt any coach would think he will be around for 4 years.

            I notice the NPL team changes too many coaches. It seems like the watch English Premier leagues but don't realize that some coaches actually stay long term. The Nomadic tendency that you mention will get our teams no where soon. I am just as shock that Jeffery Maxwell leaving that school boy gig that he had recently. The other coaches like Lennie Hyde, Dixon, Tegat etc. just change teams too often.
            • Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.

            Comment


            • #7
              Absolutely

              Originally posted by Mosiah View Post
              I'm honoured to say I know Miguel Coley. I met him when he coached Barbican FC, he probably still does. And from there I watched his Norman Manley High School take on Excelsior one afternoon.

              If you like a coach that doesn't throw tantrums on the sidelines, as many here have commented in the past, then you'll like Coley. He has a very calm demeanour, almost to the point of too calm for some people.

              Coley's understanding of the game seems sound, if I may say di myself. He gives thoughtful answers about players when asked as I have had to in recent times. And, for the Historians among us, you won't cringe when he speaks. I happen to be one of those people who would rather hear straight patois than screwed-up English. I recall VCB's earlier days!

              There have been some coaches, like Donovan Duckie, who have publicly expressed their disappointment in not being selected. I personally believe Duckie is at least among the top 3 coaches in the country but his personality - arrogance, nomadic habits - may have been factors why he's on the sidelines. He's too good to be on the sidelines, so hopefully he'll have an attitude adjustment.

              In the meantime, let's all give Miguel Coley our support.
              From what I hear he is a good man and is willing to move forward in the game where others think they are the only answer and are stuck in their knowledge (which is very little about modern football). Arrogance has no place in Jamaican football. The game is always changing and the coaches/leaders must want to change along with it. You must willing to recognize these changes and want to be passionate about doing it right. Meekness is not weakness........it's actually assured strength. Sound like Coley has this. This is problem we have at the school and senior levels. A change in football education is desperately needed to teach and 'change' our coaches how we are perceived by the public and players. This is called football with integrity and badly needed. Lets hope this can happen in the days ahead led by the German in the land we love.

              Comment


              • #8
                Old dogs find it difficult to learn new trick...at least that is somewhat how the saying goes.

                Fact: Based on observations on how our RSPL teams and national teams perform it shows that our 'old' coaches have not adapted to how the game is currently played.

                It cannot hurt and it may help tremendously to inject young eager teacher-coaches with no fear of 'kicking over the traces' and minds willing to soar and explore new frontiers.

                Good luck, teacher/coach Coley.
                FORWARD!
                "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

                Comment


                • #9
                  I have to judge our local coaches on observed results on pattern of play and win, draw, loss record.

                  Context: National TEAMs after 1998...local coaches:
                  Based on my observations - Only Carl Brown & his team and the Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore/Bradley Stewart tandem of past local coaches appear to have been any good.

                  Good structure of TEAM was on display; Good quality of play was on display;
                  A sense of good tactics and use of technique within TEAMs' goal - playing the game 'the right way', TEAM - was on display.

                  Sure there were losses and at times poor games...but predominantly in games the standard/quality of play appeared to be one of attempting to pattern top world football TEAMs.

                  The others did not convince that they knew how the game should be played. Their teams reminded of/showed 'the hand' of teachers out of touch with advances within the subject area.
                  "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Right!! yout time now from assistant right dung. Time fi mek yout get a wholesale chance fi show dem style; an who bettah fi assess dem dan ah coach weh have di knowledge ah di young ballah dem.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Just seeing this post - Nice!
                      "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Correct BUT

                        Originally posted by Karl View Post
                        I have to judge our local coaches on observed results on pattern of play and win, draw, loss record.

                        Context: National TEAMs after 1998...local coaches:
                        Based on my observations - Only Carl Brown & his team and the Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore/Bradley Stewart tandem of past local coaches appear to have been any good.

                        Good structure of TEAM was on display; Good quality of play was on display;
                        A sense of good tactics and use of technique within TEAMs' goal - playing the game 'the right way', TEAM - was on display.

                        Sure there were losses and at times poor games...but predominantly in games the standard/quality of play appeared to be one of attempting to pattern top world football TEAMs.

                        The others did not convince that they knew how the game should be played. Their teams reminded of/showed 'the hand' of teachers out of touch with advances within the subject area.
                        Correct as far as results and of course we know that all matters Karl. BUT did you ever watch their training sessions and ask the players about getting developed. I have done both with a handful of good players and they speak for most other players. This is why no development has taken place. Maybe just maybe the German might change things. Time will tell. I sat in the JFF at a meeting where all premiership coaches were invited 3 weeks ago. There was a very definite language problem from his tongue as he struggled with English fluency and he struggle understand the modern day patois. He needed a translation of the new general sec. If this does not work I would go to say a special election is bound to happen in about 2 years to dump the leadership and coaching staff in the JFF. Hope we do not have to go through all this again. Hope you are well.

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X