The challenging road ahead for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz
Boyz Manager Simpson calls on all support systems as Boyz chase spot in Qatar 2022
AFTER watching Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz beat Saudi Arabia two weeks ago most Jamaicans would be excited and optimistic about the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
The Boyz acquitted themselves really well under extreme physical and mental conditions. The new players fitted like keys and fought hard for the colours.
Fast-forward two weeks and the changes to the qualifying schedule announced by Fifa last weekend have put a temporary damper on my optimism. It will not be impossible to qualify but Jamaica now have a mountain to climb. COVID-19 has forced Fifa to make changes that will impact Jamaica tremendously. Instead of the two-game window the governing body of football has instituted three-game windows. This will impact all the teams, but more so teams like Jamaica with short squads and many players from Europe.
Suddenly, because of this new development, the Boyz look ill-equipped and inadequate for the journey. If playing two games in 10 days flying around in a temperate region was tough, flying around playing three games in 12 days will be a burden for many of these players. The fact is, the Jamaican team is short in many areas of the pitch and must immediately start a desperate search to fill vacancies.
We need players at almost every position; chief among them would be at central defence and central midfield. Adrian Marriapa and Damion Lowe are the only two central defenders of quality available. One is 34 years old and the other plies his trade in Egypt, all of 10,000 km away. At 34
Marriapa may not be able to play three intense games in the tropical heat, while Lowe most certainly will be exhausted just getting here. Michael Hector is a central defender by trade, but rarely plays at Fulham.
In central midfield, Ravel Morrison looked good in the games against Saudi Arabia. Another one or two are needed in case he is injured or carded.
Jamaica is well-served up front but a few more players of quality would do no harm. Another winger or two to complement Leon Bailey would be great. We cannot expect Bailey to be at his best in eight games within three months with all that travelling.
Even if we get a few more players, Head Coach Theodorewhitmore will have to earn every dollar in the months ahead as he plans with the JFF. Who will play where and for how long will give him a headache. Managing stress and time on the pitch will be most important to avoid injury. The physio and masseurs will have to work overtime to keep the players on the pitch in good playing condition.
Most of the new players will not be familiar with tropical conditions and lengthy travel. They will be coming from winter to high temperate and high humidity. They will also be shocked at the pace and intensity of international football. Some will swim, but surely some will sink.
The game that was postponed earlier this year against Catalonia to look at interested players from Europe is now critical for the March window. Another game in that window would help. Then there is the June window which could also be used for similar examination. The Concacaf Gold Cup will be their final test.
Sadly, we can’t look for help from our local leagues because there is none being played... while all our counterparts have their leagues up and running.
There are also other challenges to overcome. Some clubs may not want their players to contest 270 minutes of football in 12 days. And worse, some players may not wish to play in all three games to maintain their edge going back home. Four of the six games in the first two windows will be away. Using Google, it was found that the players from England will travel approximately 24,000 km for each three-game window. Lowe and Romario Williams will clock nearly 30,000 km coming from Cairo.
Interestingly, the first four away games are to Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and the USA — in that order. Only a sadist would get excited.
Editor’s note: Earl Bailey is a veteran sports journalist and is presently contracted by the Jamaica Football Federation as press officer.
FACED with a frenetic World Cup qualifying campaign, a competitive Concacaf Gold Cup, as well as the uncertainties of COVID-19 next year, Reggae Boyz Team Manager Roy Simpson holds firm that stakeholders must give unquestionable support to the team if it is to succeed on the pitch and bring glory to the nation.
The long-time manager also strongly believes that if the Boyz are to fail it must be because their rivals are better players, and not because of an inadequate support structure. And Simpson hastily noted that nobody in the technical set-up or the team itself believes that the competition is better.
The Concacaf World Cup qualifying schedule was recently released, with Jamaica and the seven other countries in the final round set to contest 14 matches in five Fifa windows between September 2021 and March 2022, including playing three games in four of the five windows.
The Concacaf Gold Cup is slated for July 2-25.
In addition, a number of flaws came to the fore during the Reggae Boyz’ two-game friendly international series against hosts Saudi Arabia last month, which all parties involved believe must be resolved ahead of the resumption of games next year.
“We must get it right because if this team does not qualify for the World Cup it must not be because we did not do what we were supposed to do,” Simpson said. “It must be because all the other teams are better than us — and we don’t believe they are better than us.
“We believe that we just need to get the off-the-field issues correct — and it is nothing new. It is there, we have done it already, but let’s get everybody behind the team with good planning and always remember our accountability to the people of Jamaica,” Simpson told the Jamaica Observer.
It is reasonable to assume that playing three games in a window requires a deep pool of players, possibly three deep, and with football having been halted on the island since March, local players will be significantly disenfranchised.
Nonetheless, Simpson believes that sufficient talent abounds in the Reggae Boyz set-up but at this stage, it requires more than just talent. It requires strategic planning and organisation.
“We have to understand that it is not about talent at this level, it is how best you organise. But, I am confident based on what we saw in the second game, the attitude of the players, the professionalism, how the new players just came in and gelled immediately and looked like they were part of the unit for a long time.”
Simpson also noted that the new realities of COVID-19 laid bare some of the weaknesses in the operations.
“Again, we learn from this; it’s a learning experience for everybody though we might be hard on ourselves in terms of the organisation and the planning. COVID-19 pulled from everybody that it is not business as usual. If during normal times you usually get away with certain things, this COVID-19 operation will expose you because you have to plan to the T. But I think we all understand that and it is not so much about chatting now, it is more about action and how we correct all of that going forward.”
He added: “All our stakeholders have to understand that it is going to take a lot of work, a lot of energy, a lot of effort behind the team — because what we have to understand is that if you want to hold all players accountable, how do you hold them accountable when we are falling short in some areas?
“We must do all we can for every player that when they go onto the pitch and we do not get the kind of result that we think we should have got based on resources that were extended, then we can be judgmental and hold them to account.”
Simpson also revealed that some of the distractions which threatened to derail the programme in recent times created a level of annoyance to the point where he almost called it quits.
“It is extremely frustrating and being on the front line — though the players understand clearly, and by now Jamaica understands that certain decisions I don’t make — and knowing that it is no big issue, it is just some simple things that we need to do, it hurts.
“As a matter of fact, at one point I was near the end because I was considering that I can’t be a part of a project, I can’t be a part of a system that you have so many near misses each time when it is not about talent, it is not about anything than just how we organise and plan. And I am adamant and I believe that if I am going to continue with the programme I have a responsibility to the people of Jamaica.
“I can’t be around the unit for so long and at the end of the day you are going to say ‘If we did do this and if we never do that.’ No, we have to get it right. And as long as I’m a part of it, I understand the responsibility and the accountability to the people of Jamaica.”