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Football
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News
As the Reggae Boyz enter the most
challenging week of the current World Cup qualifying campaign,
Technical Director Rene Simoes is confident that the team is
physically ready to take on the challenge. They travel to Mexico
on Friday, play on Saturday, travel to Honduras on Sunday to play
that team on Wednesday.
“I think they are OK,” Simoes
told JamaicaWin.com before a training session at Winchester Park,
St Georges College, on Wednesday afternoon. “There is nothing that
we ca do physically with them. That task belongs to their clubs.
All we have to do is ensure that we work with them tactically and
manage the situation as best as we can.”
Simoes said that the Mexican and
especially the Honduran team will be in similar situations as they
have many players who also play abroad. Honduras will travel to
Canada today to play on Saturday then return home to face the
Reggae Boyz.
Simoes addressed the arguments
which always come from coaches in Central America when they face
teams from the Caribbean and deduced that on this occasion this
could be an advantage to Jamaica. Sven- Goran Ericksson, like all
the other coaches before him, said he is preoccupied with the
size, strength and speed of the Jamaicans. “They never speak of
the tactical awareness that we possess. They never speak of our
skills,” said Simoes. “I hope we can surprise them in these areas.
Our speed and strength is obvious, but now we can present them
with the problem of playing a team that is tactically and
technically aware.”
The players were taken through a
‘half-pitch,’ session which forces them to move the ball quickly.
Deon Burton scored a good header to give what looked like the
starting team a 1-0 win over the others.
The starting team was Donavon
Ricketts, Obrien Woodbine, Ian Goodison, Jerome Taylor and Tyrone
Marshall in defence, Demar Phillips, Richard Austin, Evan Taylor
and Wolry Wolfe in midfield and Burton and Fuller up front.
Captain Ricardo Gardner, who is expected to replace Woodbine, did
not participate as he is nursing a slight thigh strain. He
received treatment on the sideline and watched the training from
the bench.
“We are ready to go,” Gardner
said. “We are a very experienced team and playing in Central
America holds no fears for us. If we execute properly, we will be
OK.”
Another starter, Andy Williams,
was due in island last night.
Team manager Vin Blaine said that
the change from the National Stadium to Mexico City has brought on
numerous logistical problems, but they are being solved with the
assistance of numerous bodies, not the least being the Government
of Jamaica.
The team will have another
training session this evening at Harbour View.
JamaicaWin.com will provide
LIVE TEXT coverage of the game on Saturday starting at 4:00pm
Jamaica time. Click unto the Jamaica vs Mexico button on the home
page and post your views now.
Earl Bailey
Editor - www.JamaicaWin.com
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