If Jamaica won't give up football...FIFA should tell them to stop wasting time & resources
GA said
20:13 02/12 2009
This post is contributed by a freelance writer who chooses to remain annonymous.
***
Reading about the Jamaica/Nigeria soccer match I could not help but ponder, especially in these tough economic times, why Jamaica continues to waste time and precious resources indulging in a sport in which it has no future. I believe wholeheartedly that Jamaica, on its own, give up the game altogether or FIFA...the governing body should take a stand. Here are the reasons why:
-There is little or no money in football for Jamaicans. There is more hope and much better propects in alternate sports. Take baseball, for e.g. a player on the bench easily clears northwards of a USD1 million. Can you even imagine 10 Jamaicans...10 millionaires in USD terms that is, sitting on the bench for US major league baseball teams...
-Jamaicans do not have the fitness and stamina to compete at the highest levels. Take for e.g. our annual trek to play the Mexicans at heights in the Azteca...there is usually no need to watch the game...it's just a matter of whether we will get the 6 love or not. In Brazil, if a player has as much as a murmur they can never play for the notional team while players with all kinds of ailments grace the Jamaican team.
-Jamaican facilities are inadequate and not equipped to facilitate training at nights especially when it's cooler to run certain drills. Additionally, the fields are far too bumpy and way too small to cultivate and nuture the kind of skill and stamina required to compete among soccer's elites. If you have ever played football in Jamaica you will know just how hard it is to learn to control a ball on the hard bumpy surfaces...if you can't control a ball...kmt...how are you going to qualify for world cup?
-Jamaica's best footballers are bruckie boos most of whom lack pace, can't run, can't head and can't kick. Take Theo "bruckie boo" Whitmore...he was regarded as one of the country's best players yet he couldn't run, never had any pace, could not kick or head the ball and now alas...as coach, he is polluting the younger players with his pitiful footballing techniques.
-Jamaica lacks the financial resources to hire a top notch coach and staff to improve our game at the most basic levels. Yes Renee did but he is the luckiest man alive...qualifing in 98 against a Mexican team that had already gone through and didn't even break out of a trot much less break a sweat on that faithful day some 11 years ago at the "office". John Barnes? Please! John could barely make a weak England team in his playing days, was a one-kick wonder, has very little coaching experience and will undoubtedly be without the necessary resources and supporting cast necessary to make his tenure with the team a real success story.
Want more reasons. Well, I could give give you a million more but I think those are more than enough to convince Jamaicans that they are wasting their time. I say to them now...save on the precious time and scarce resources and start putting the infrastructure in place for alternative sports where the players and the country stand a real chance of benefitting financially.
If you don't agree tell me to go to hell...but be sure to say why!
Shem1 said
20:16 02/12 2009
LOL AGREE, ALWAYS WASTE THEM TIME GUH TOURNAMENT AND LOSE 1ST ROUND.
GA said
20:28 02/12 2009
Shem wrote:
LOL AGREE, ALWAYS WASTE THEM TIME GUH TOURNAMENT AND LOSE 1ST ROUND.
Yah...if you follow the Reggae Boys who have to have a heart of steel.
jamaicabwoy said
20:29 02/12 2009
Yo admin i dont kno where u gettin all these so called freelance journalist/ reporters from eno ..kmt ....Ok I dont know what your basis is for making some of these statements above but football is an avenue for jamaicans to make a way out of the ghetto and uplift themselves and their family. Get rid of football then who is going to feed these young men and their family ...you? I doubt that. And speaking about this whole mexican atmosphere not many country goes into AZTECA and win based on the high Altitude , and mr freelance reporter if you did your research you would have notice that a few years ago FIFA the international governing body of football was trying to pass a law where football games couldnt be played where the altitude was 2800 m which would put mexico Azteca stadium in this category.
And dont be so bashful about a sport that has united this nation so many times before , yea we might not have the best facilities and all but this blame has to fall on the government and corporate who fails to provide enough financial backing . Even with this said we still have produced players of world class quality . i e ricardo gardener
Dj_Buba1 said
20:31 02/12 2009
well said jb!!!!!!
GA said
20:41 02/12 2009
jamaicabwoy wrote:
Yo admin i dont kno where u gettin all these so called freelance journalist/ reporters from eno ..kmt ....Ok I dont know what your basis is for making some of these statements above but football is an avenue for jamaicans to make a way out of the ghetto and uplift themselves and their family. Get rid of football then who is going to feed these young men and their family ...you? I doubt that. And speaking about this whole mexican atmosphere not many country goes into AZTECA and win based on the high Altitude , and mr freelance reporter if you did your research you would have notice that a few years ago FIFA the international governing body of football was trying to pass a law where football games couldnt be played where the altitude was 2800 m which would put mexico Azteca stadium in this category.
And dont be so bashful about a sport that has united this nation so many times before , yea we might not have the best facilities and all but this blame has to fall on the government and corporate who fails to provide enough financial backing . Even with this said we still have produced players of world class quality . i e ricardo gardener
lol JB...good to see the points resonate with you though. Tells me the writer is not far off.
1. "football is an avenue for jamaicans to make a way out of the ghetto and uplift themselves and their family."
So, this is a recreation thing? Do you know how much it cost to maintain the programme and to play away games. If the sport going no where why waste precious resources...oh sorry, its for enjoyment...I forgot.
2. "Get rid of football then who is going to feed these young men and their family ...you? I doubt that."
How many millionaires has footbal produced and look how long Jamaica playing football. Get a couple people in baseball though and even if they are on the bench they are likely millioanaires. Can you imagine the trickle down?
3. "And speaking about this whole mexican atmosphere not many country goes into AZTECA and win based on the high Altitude..."
JB...many teams beat Mexico on Mexico or even if they don't it's not 6 love all the time. Check the records.
4. "we still have produced players of world class quality . i e ricardo gardener"
You call Ricardo a good player...I don't even think Recardo could make the top 1000 (and I am serious) of top soccer players...
jamaicabwoy said
21:41 02/12 2009
WOW .. How can you not rate a player who has held down a 1 st team place for over a decade ? you see thats the problem we as Jamaican face everyday we dont rate or give accolades to our very own product , people outside of our country shows more appreciation to our players than we do
The programme also make money from playing games but are/were these money being used wisely? NO. From Jamaica qualified in 98 football hasnt developed into anything good since then , the administration didnt used that momentum and achievement wisely , what they should have done was to open up a sporting facility in Jamaica where we could have had new breed of talents been hound but no they didnt do any of this , it could have been a huge stepping stone in the development of our players and who knows how many of the top European clubs could have been flocking our island to see these tops prospects and this could have been the way in which the country would earn money for the programme , because if you recalled after 98 world cup ..we also qualified for the youth world cup in 2000 I think if my mind serves my right ..I stand correct if not . But yea so there was interest in our countries football but the federation didnt capitalize on this .
You mention baseball , dont you see the scandal thats rocking baseball now , most if not all those players who are the major players are using steroids , so your saying that we should allow our kids to take part in this drug infested sports ..where you might earn the millions of dollars but you might hear on the news that baseball player kills his family because or steroid rage or better yet die because of a heart attack from use of steroids?
STUWY77 said
21:43 02/12 2009
sports is a good source of entertainment.... so i dont agree
GA said
22:09 02/12 2009
jamaicabwoy wrote:
WOW .. How can you not rate a player who has held down a 1 st team place for over a decade ? you see thats the problem we as Jamaican face everyday we dont rate or give accolades to our very own product , people outside of our country shows more appreciation to our players than we do The programme also make money from playing games but are/were these money being used wisely? NO. From Jamaica qualified in 98 football hasnt developed into anything good since then , the administration didnt used that momentum and achievement wisely , what they should have done was to open up a sporting facility in Jamaica where we could have had new breed of talents been hound but no they didnt do any of this , it could have been a huge stepping stone in the development of our players and who knows how many of the top European clubs could have been flocking our island to see these tops prospects and this could have been the way in which the country would earn money for the programme , because if you recalled after 98 world cup ..we also qualified for the youth world cup in 2000 I think if my mind serves my right ..I stand correct if not . But yea so there was interest in our countries football but the federation didnt capitalize on this . You mention baseball , dont you see the scandal thats rocking baseball now , most if not all those players who are the major players are using steroids , so your saying that we should allow our kids to take part in this drug infested sports ..where you might earn the millions of dollars but you might hear on the news that baseball player kills his family because or steroid rage or better yet die because of a heart attack from use of steroids?
JB...football died a natural death after 98 because the basic foundation and talent weren't there to start with. Ricardo was the best thing out of 98 and he is at best a bruckie boo and extremely spastic...back then at any rate.
Bolton bought him to trade up and got nowhere and eventually converted him to left back when they realised they were stuck with him. Where was Ricardo ever a good left back player. If you watched Bolton and even many times with Jamaica it was Bibi's ineptitide that caused many goals.
And this thing about drugs in baseball...bear in mind the ongoing scandal happened back in 2003 and before...take drugs now and you do so at your own peril. JB baseball is America's favorite pastime and offers rich possibilities for Jamaican sportmen. It's just like the riches that basketball offers and why so many are giving up cricket (but that's for another time).
In short, we should emulate Panama, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba and flood the US with our baseball stars...trust me, even sitting on the bench for one of these baseball teams would be heaven compared to laboring away for some 3rd rate English team in that miserable weather.
JB...the writer has a point, ditch football and ditch it now. The future is with North American sports not with soccer in which Jamaica lacks talent and which offers very limited opportunities for Jamaica's athletes.
Dj Quiva said
22:11 02/12 2009
dwl
***DK*** said
22:15 02/12 2009
let me throw my two cents in........ personally i do not agree with the article. therefore i take my stance! After reading the above responses both MZJ and JB have very good points.....
GA said
22:19 02/12 2009
STUWY77 wrote:
sports is a good source of entertainment.... so i dont agree
Stu...baseball is also exciting and most of all could make our athletes rich!
Jerzie said
22:38 02/12 2009
you made some good points still mzj. well said jb a real thing. First Gardener is a good player no matter if him no get trade or wa it no matter him still captian correct me if i am wrong them and to me thats a major accomplishment for any player, and you forgot to metion fuller who is the pride of stoke city. I understand still what the writer a talk bout still but mi disagree.
-- Edited by Jerzie at 22:46, 2009-02-12
GA said
22:51 02/12 2009
Jerzie...Fuller could be making USD1 million a year playing baseball and that's on the bench.
SwizZ said
15:26 02/13 2009
Sports is a way of bringing our communities together without warring and gunshot. Without sports...there would be alot more ppl running di streets doing careless things. We might not have the best team but 1 thing about Jamaicans is that we never give up hope. So I dont agree with this opinion of yours. Tek weh yuhself!!
bLaCkBeatZ said
15:28 02/13 2009
lolz...sometimes i wonder if MZJA is the freelance writer who chooses to remain annonymous.
Klanz Man said
15:29 02/13 2009
DWL..................LMFAO
SwizZ said
15:30 02/13 2009
ah true..it might just be MZJA
Teacha said
15:49 02/13 2009
football is the best thing that eva happen to jamaica next to our music,if u are telling ppl to stop play football u are influencing ppl to be quiters and that is nt good football uplifts youths and as i said it shud stay,,we may nt have the financial bac but we do have a strong will and motivation to go tru..we may nt be the bes bt we aim to be...nothing comes over night we need time ,,,have faith ,,>>>>
GA said
15:52 02/13 2009
SwizZ wrote:
Sports is a way of bringing our communities together without warring and gunshot. Without sports...there would be alot more ppl running di streets doing careless things. We might not have the best team but 1 thing about Jamaicans is that we never give up hope. So I dont agree with this opinion of yours. Tek weh yuhself!!
Baseball would have the same unifying effect plus create a few millionaires.
***
Reading about the Jamaica/Nigeria soccer match I could not help but ponder, especially in these tough economic times, why Jamaica continues to waste time and precious resources indulging in a sport in which it has no future. I believe wholeheartedly that Jamaica, on its own, give up the game altogether or FIFA...the governing body should take a stand. Here are the reasons why:
-There is little or no money in football for Jamaicans. There is more hope and much better propects in alternate sports. Take baseball, for e.g. a player on the bench easily clears northwards of a USD1 million. Can you even imagine 10 Jamaicans...10 millionaires in USD terms that is, sitting on the bench for US major league baseball teams...
-Jamaicans do not have the fitness and stamina to compete at the highest levels. Take for e.g. our annual trek to play the Mexicans at heights in the Azteca...there is usually no need to watch the game...it's just a matter of whether we will get the 6 love or not. In Brazil, if a player has as much as a murmur they can never play for the notional team while players with all kinds of ailments grace the Jamaican team.
-Jamaican facilities are inadequate and not equipped to facilitate training at nights especially when it's cooler to run certain drills. Additionally, the fields are far too bumpy and way too small to cultivate and nuture the kind of skill and stamina required to compete among soccer's elites. If you have ever played football in Jamaica you will know just how hard it is to learn to control a ball on the hard bumpy surfaces...if you can't control a ball...kmt...how are you going to qualify for world cup?
-Jamaica's best footballers are bruckie boos most of whom lack pace, can't run, can't head and can't kick. Take Theo "bruckie boo" Whitmore...he was regarded as one of the country's best players yet he couldn't run, never had any pace, could not kick or head the ball and now alas...as coach, he is polluting the younger players with his pitiful footballing techniques.
-Jamaica lacks the financial resources to hire a top notch coach and staff to improve our game at the most basic levels. Yes Renee did but he is the luckiest man alive...qualifing in 98 against a Mexican team that had already gone through and didn't even break out of a trot much less break a sweat on that faithful day some 11 years ago at the "office". John Barnes? Please! John could barely make a weak England team in his playing days, was a one-kick wonder, has very little coaching experience and will undoubtedly be without the necessary resources and supporting cast necessary to make his tenure with the team a real success story.
Want more reasons. Well, I could give give you a million more but I think those are more than enough to convince Jamaicans that they are wasting their time. I say to them now...save on the precious time and scarce resources and start putting the infrastructure in place for alternative sports where the players and the country stand a real chance of benefitting financially.
If you don't agree tell me to go to hell...but be sure to say why!
Yah...if you follow the Reggae Boys who have to have a heart of steel.
lol JB...good to see the points resonate with you though. Tells me the writer is not far off.
1. "football is an avenue for jamaicans to make a way out of the ghetto and uplift themselves and their family."
So, this is a recreation thing? Do you know how much it cost to maintain the programme and to play away games. If the sport going no where why waste precious resources...oh sorry, its for enjoyment...I forgot.
2. "Get rid of football then who is going to feed these young men and their family ...you? I doubt that."
How many millionaires has footbal produced and look how long Jamaica playing football. Get a couple people in baseball though and even if they are on the bench they are likely millioanaires. Can you imagine the trickle down?
3. "And speaking about this whole mexican atmosphere not many country goes into AZTECA and win based on the high Altitude..."
JB...many teams beat Mexico on Mexico or even if they don't it's not 6 love all the time. Check the records.
4. "we still have produced players of world class quality . i e ricardo gardener"
You call Ricardo a good player...I don't even think Recardo could make the top 1000 (and I am serious) of top soccer players...
JB...football died a natural death after 98 because the basic foundation and talent weren't there to start with. Ricardo was the best thing out of 98 and he is at best a bruckie boo and extremely spastic...back then at any rate.
Bolton bought him to trade up and got nowhere and eventually converted him to left back when they realised they were stuck with him. Where was Ricardo ever a good left back player. If you watched Bolton and even many times with Jamaica it was Bibi's ineptitide that caused many goals.
And this thing about drugs in baseball...bear in mind the ongoing scandal happened back in 2003 and before...take drugs now and you do so at your own peril. JB baseball is America's favorite pastime and offers rich possibilities for Jamaican sportmen. It's just like the riches that basketball offers and why so many are giving up cricket (but that's for another time).
In short, we should emulate Panama, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba and flood the US with our baseball stars...trust me, even sitting on the bench for one of these baseball teams would be heaven compared to laboring away for some 3rd rate English team in that miserable weather.
JB...the writer has a point, ditch football and ditch it now. The future is with North American sports not with soccer in which Jamaica lacks talent and which offers very limited opportunities for Jamaica's athletes.
Stu...baseball is also exciting and most of all could make our athletes rich
!
-- Edited by Jerzie at 22:46, 2009-02-12