Edwards still positive after Under-17 Boyz loss
National Under-17 coach Andrew Edwards remains positive despite losing both games in their two match series against Canada. The young Reggae Boyz went down 3-0 to the North Americans in the first game on Friday and lost the second match 3-1 at UWI Bowl on Tuesday.
The defeats stretch the Under17s losing streak to four straight following defeats to the USA Under-17s in a two-game series in early November.
While admitting that both the US and Canada were a notch above them, Edwards said the games were a great opportunity to know how far behind the top teams they are.
He believes that with adequate preparation they can get it right and challenge for a youth World Cup place in Panama in April.
“Every time you play a game you derive some benefits. We showed improvements in the Canada game, from one game to the next. There was a clear show of improvement and we take comfort in that. From a mental/psychological perspec- tive, we were more competitive. We also adjusted better to the tempo of the Canadians.
“The biggest positive we take away is that it gives us targets in our preparation. What we need to do, how well we should do it and how quickly we can get those things sorted out,” he told STAR Sports.
“We anticipate we will draw either Canada or the USA, or both, and having the opportunity to play them means we can gauge what we do going forward in a more decisive way,” he stated.
He says the young Jamaicans have the potential to compete and qualify as long as they are appropriately conditioned for Panama
“We have the raw material and the personnel to compete as long as we have an adequate, consistent and wholesome preparation, then I will have every confidence that we can prepare tactical plans and produce fantastic performances in Panama that can take us through,” he said.