ENJOYING BEING AN UNABASHED WAGONIST

always fair and consistent, I am satisfied with the way things have been going. While I believe the goal-line technology aspect should be kept, I believe the VAR should be shelved until it is as precise as what obtains in cricket.

HIGH POINTS

I believe the tournaments have had many high points, and chief among them must be the performances of some of the minnows, especially the African and CONCACAF teams, who are no longer being intimidated by the so-called big teams. In fact, I am hoping that teams like Mexico, Colombia, Portugal and Belgium will be right there at the end, leaving the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Spain and France out in the cold with outgoing champions Germany.

In fact, as a full-fledged wagonist, I would have no difficulty hitching a ride on England’s wagon because as a Jamaican, I see nothing wrong in claiming a spot on the grounds that Raheem Sterling, one of England’s main players, is as much a Jamaican as I am.

From a Jamaican perspective, I hope the top leadership of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is paying keen attention to the so-called minnows, who are looking quite accomplished against the more established teams. Surely, if the JFF was to wake from its slumber and establish a credible programme, which allows our best talent to come through, who knows? We could be back on the big stage by 2026, if not earlier.

Like national coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore, I believe the time has come for us to move beyond the glory of France 1998 and seek new accomplishments. I don’t believe we have a problem in producing talent, our weakness is the absence of the supporting structures to transform our players into world-class players.