Dear Editor,
There is a lack of domestic activity for the Elite League players in the 2 months following the conclusion of the 2015-2016 Elite League Competition. Editor, this is a crucial juncture given the nation’s continued participation in the CFU/ Digicel Senior Regional Championship, which resumes during October 2016. The further a team advances in a competition, the more intense its rivalry becomes. As a consequence adequate preparation is always essential for success.
Our eastern neighbour, Suriname, will not be a walkover, especially with the Dutch hosting the first leg. As it relates to Jamaica, the Reggae Boyz are coming with a wealth of international experience, exposure and professionalism. The Jamaican team is led by Captain Wes Brown, who also is the captain of the defending BPL champions Leicester City. As a consequence, they are a cohesive unit, having already for the year played quality opponents in international friendlies, along with this year’s Copa Centenario champions, Chile, whom they had previously defeated.
Despite not winning any of their 3 matches in the tournament in the USA, the Reggae Boyz weren’t disgraced or humiliated in their performance facing opponents such as Argentina,
where they failed to score a goal and conceded 6. They lost both of their World Cup fixtures to Panama and Haiti by similar 0-2 margins. Nevertheless, the Reggae Boyz will rebound with fire in their eyes and in the process seek to establish their dominance at the CFU level.
Are the Golden Jaguars are up to the task of repelling the Jamaican onslaught, or Suriname’s traditional ball possession game along with slick passing, not to mention the Jamaicans’ physical and robust approach? Come next month at a local venue to be decided, host Guyana will set the tone in determining if the Golden Jaguars will advance further in the tournament, in pursuit of attempting to qualify for the first time ever in a Gold Cup competition.
Meanwhile, it would be remiss of me not to mention the frivolous excuses emanating from the GFF Secretariat as these relate to selection, training, encampment and friendly internationals against quality opponents, for the purposes of adequate preparation. At the 13th hour the GFF is still uncertain of a venue; it is common knowledge that the Providence Stadium pitches are undergoing remedial works for cricket purposes and definitely not for football. By the way is there a functioning grounds committee?
Yours faithfully,
Lester Sealey