Fifa has a wonderful way of building the spirit of their member associations and their recent ratings have shown, a huge jump upwards for the national football team. To be honest, it was painful to see this country’s name way below Jamaica, Cuba and Guyana in the world rating, despite the fact that these figures can be sometimes flattering and some would even describe them as misleading, if they do not understand the formula used to rate the teams.
It was absolutely amazing to me that both radio and television decided that these matches were not important enough to receive radio or television time, not even online. I was travelling among the Caribbean islands at the time and the football fans in St Lucia and St Kitts were eagerly seeking coverage online and otherwise.
So because of the fact that I had not seen any of the matches, I was deprived of practicing my favourite hobby of analysing the performances.
One of the disturbing factors which I picked up from a television interview where Sam Carrington, the St Vincent coach seemed happy over the fact that his country’s national team was gaining experience as opposed to winning matches.He explained that he brought a number of 20-year-olds to the tournament as an investment for the future, a pattern which some coaches use when better cannot be done.
Knowing Sammy as well as I do, his intention may well have been an effort to build St Vincent’s football but what of the guys in the mid twenties who have been fighting for some kind of recognition in Caribbean football, only to be bypassed to make way for younger players?Honestly, I saw that decision as a form of disregard for Caribbean football in terms of what these youngsters brought to the table in a tournament which is the premier competition in the region.
Clearly a heavy defeat as 7-2 by the home team may have done our egos well but it would also have destroyed the pride of the Vincentians, who were out of their class by utilising these youngsters prematurely to the tournament.After the T&T opening victory, confidence was probably high in their camp, knowing that they were coming up against Guyana next, who was then rated higher than the twin-island state.
The close victory of 2-1 had obviously served its purpose for the entry into the finals before facing Haiti in the third match.
However, I have always been of the belief that any team playing at home should start with an imaginary two-goal advantage, unless the opponent is of superior quality.But the result left me with the belief that Guyana is much closer to us in standard than we would like to imagine.
I was delighted over the emphatic victory over Haiti, if only because this French country has never been a walkover for our national teams over the years and the thought of a 6-1 licking which the Haitians gave us in 1971 at the Arima Velodrome is still on my mind.Now the next step is before us and it’s a category which has eluded us on the last occasion that the tournament was played.
Every qualified country can provide serious opposition at this level and few will doubt that Jamaica see themselves as a frontrunner in the race to the Gold Cup.
Maybe they should be aware that Martinique and T&T are accustomed to the qualification process and many of the region’s teams are on the improve.From our own point of view, it is mandatory for us to scout our opponents, especially Martinique, whom we may not have seen or played against for sometime.
Going into this competition without adequate information of the opponents is tantamount to ignoring the basic fundamentals of developing a winning formula.Surely, the team selection is essential as well, especially when there is a shortage of match practice before the tournament. Speculation is not a good idea in this regard, as there is need for every player to be versed in the art of early readiness from the start of every match.
This is not like wanting to play catch-up against the likes of Cuba and Martinique, teams which have shown over the years that they are difficult to beat, even on their bad days.Quite naturally, names like Julius James, Trent Noel, Carlyle Mitchell, young Daniel Cyrus, Clyde Leon and Devon Jorsling will head the teamsheet. That is an easy exercise, given their recent performances.
The others need careful assessment and the process of selection must be based upon either recent club performances, form at practice sessions, and/or the strength of their characters to cope with the physical and mental toughness of competition away from home. Quite naturally, we must trust the coaching staff with those choices and hope that they will bring the correct combination to the field.
The recent results have brought us great optimism and the expectation that the reality will do the same.This country is in dire need of an improved image for our football and this is a vital step forward. Let our hearts be with the national team.