Reggae Boyz Shawn Sawyers ( left), Jermaine Taylor (second left), Davian Thorpe and Keniel Moodie (right) board the national team's bus at the Norman Manley Interantional Airport yesterday. Jamaica lost 2-0 to Honduras on Wednesday night, four days after losing 3-0 to Mexico. - Norman Grindley

Despite admitting to harbouring a healthy respect for former national technical director Rene Simoes, Captain Horace Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) says the coach had to go, because the results were just not up to par.

"Professor Simoes is my very good friend, but there comes a time when you have to separate your professional life from your social life," Burrell told journalists at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday.

"The results are what we have to go by, and they have not been good. Let's call a spade a spade. We have not been doing well, as it relates to the FIFA ranking we continue to slide and I had to take the appropriate action," he added.

The announcement that the Brazilian had been sacked, one, which came as a shock to many, came hours after a 2-0 defeat to Honduras for Jamaica's Reggae Boyz. The loss had come on the heels of a 3-0 defeat at the Azteca Stadium by regional kingpins Mexico, which put Jamaica's hope of qualification in dire straights. After three games, the team is at the bottom of the table - along with Canada on one point - behind Honduras, who have six, and unbeaten Mexico on nine.

The team could still progress, but that would depend on a number of bad results for Honduras. Burrell has not ruled that out.

"We are down, but not out, so we are looking to get the pieces together quickly and move, it is difficult, but not insurmountable," he said.

"It is not in our hands. We have to wait, but in football, strange things happen," he added.

Burrell, while admitting that the coach's removal in the middle of the campaign may unsettle the team at a crucial time, believes it's a risk that had to be taken.

"Life is a risk and you have to be willing to face challenges ... We are great friends, there is mutual respect, but I had to put all of that behind me, and we are just looking to move ahead now," he said.

Jamaica's love affair with Simoes began during the 1998 World Cup qualification campaign, which eventually saw the team claim a historic berth at the 1998 World Cup in France. However, following a number of losses with the national team, he resigned from the post in February 2000.

Simoes returned to Jamaica earlier this year, after he was again put in charge of the Reggae Boyz by Burrell who had regained control at the JFF after being defeated by Crenston Boxhill in 2003.

Coaching stints

Rene Simoes - file photo

During his time away from Jamaica, Simoes had stints in Trinidad and Tobago, with the Brazilian women's team, the Iran U-23 team and most recently Coritiba in Brazil.

Jamaica will play their final three home games against Mexico on October 11, Honduras on October 15 and Canada on November 19. Burrell expects to name a replacement for Simoes by the end of the week. Simoes has already returned to Brazil.