Registered: 06/21/04
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Marshall is a lock on the team, a seasoned professional, will start every game in the Gold Cup. Barnes knows all about Marshall, he captained the ReggaeBoyz to the Digicel Cup title. Barnes doesnt need to see Marshall at this stage, he's more interested in the local players and also to assess the fitness and match readiness of some of the international based players like Stephenson, Campbell-Ryce, etc.
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Originally Posted By: jamatl
I have never been impressed with the central defense partnership of Stewart and Davis. They do not compliment each other well, I would suggest (Jamal Campbell)Ryce and (Stew)Peas on the right-side of midfield and defense.
Observation noted.
Without Goddison and Marshall, it is a different defence. Stephenson could fill a role here.
Stewart at right back is a good idea but leaves gap in middle D. With Marshall and or Goodison the team has a certain 'dimension' as far as redundancy goes. Unfortunately, they'll be retiring from International football after Confederations Cup soon.
It has to be done in the midfield and there has beeen some less than perfect passing there pas two games. An observant oponent might be ready to pounce on that.
The 4 man defence, 2 'wingers', 2 mids + 2 forwards in the modern game should not be an entire game long thing. In very dynamic situations lack of redundancy/versatility, i'll pontificate, can be a vulnerability.
Registered: 03/25/01
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Post-Gold Cup is a entirely different story for the national team. But I agree that we may need a bit more fluidity during the Gold Cup but Barnes is doing a good job so far tactically with the team.
The one thing he is demanding is intelligent high-quality decisions and passing out of every player on the field.
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Barnes wants patience - National coach calls for composure ahead of Panama friendly Jermaine Lannaman, Star Writer
Reggae Boyz coach John Barnes addresses the players at a training session at St George's College yesterday. - Norman Grindley
Head coach of the Reggae Boyz John Barnes wants the team to demonstrate patience and tactical discipline in their friendly international against Panama at the National Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking after the Boyz's second training session at Winchester Park, St George's College, yesterday, Barnes said for the team to succeed internationally and in next month's Gold Cup, they will have to change their mindset.
"Here players run around too much. What we need to do is play with more patience and composure," said Barnes, who said so far he is impressed with how the players are responding to his style and philosophy of play.
"In Jamaica, we love to play basketball football by running from end to end. When you play against weak teams you can lose the ball and get it back easily. But when you play against higher level competition, they are going to keep the ball and that is where they can hurt you."
"So what I want is for us to do is to change that culture and mindset and play like Manchester United and Barcelona demonstrated recently by keeping possession of the ball," he added.
During yesterday's session, which was the second since the team's 0-0 draw with El Salvador last Sunday in the United States, Barnes, along with assistant coach Theodore Whitmore, got a chance to take a look at five overseas-based players, who missed the encounter on Sunday.
Midfielders Rodolf Austin and Khari Stephenson, midfielders Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Demar Phillips, captain, defender Claude Davis, who was out on a one match suspension, joined a primarily local contingent of players, who will be seeking to impress Barnes ahead of the Gold Cup.
"It's getting better, more intense. Today (yesterday) we saw the inclusion of the overseas players and there was a rise in the performances. So I would say things are going ok, and I am really looking forward to tomorrow (today).
"I have in my head what it is I want to do, who I plan to play and how I want the team to play, etc," the former England and Liverpool international added.
The Boyz are expected to welcome the return of USA Major League forward Nicholas Addlery, who played against El Salvador and Haiti, the week before, but returned to his club Puerto Rico Islanders in the week
Registered: 03/25/01
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Great expectations
Norman Grindley - Reggae Boyz head coach John Barnes (right) and his assistant, Theodore Whitmore, keeping a keen eye on the Jamaica squad at training.
Boyz look to clear Panama hurdle ahead of Gold Cup
Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz will continue their preparation for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicks off in the United States early next month, when they tackle traditionally tough rivals Panama in a friendly international at the National Stadium, at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Though yet to have a full strength squad available, with a few European players yet to join the fray, the Reggae Boyz have not exactly set the field on fire in recent games. A mostly local squad played their way to 2-2 draw against Haiti, putting in a much better performance, but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with El Salvador last weekend.
red card
However, with five players - central midfielders Rodolph Austin, Khari Stephenson, wingers Demar Phillips, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and defender Claude Davis -who missed the last friendly after being out on a red card joining the team this week, the Jamaicans have their strongest squad to date.
Stephenson and Austin are generally expected to replace the pair of Richard Edwards and Steven Morrison, despite splendid performances from the two in the last game. For Reggae Boyz coach John Barnes, who is putting a new 4-4-2 formation on trial, the team is a work in progress but constantly improving.
"It's getting better, more intense. We saw the inclusion of the overseas players and there was a rise in the performances. So I would say things are going ok, and I am really looking forward to tomorrow," Barnes said.
"I have in my head what it is I want to do, who I plan to play, and how I want the team to play," he added.
The Panamanians have always been tough opposition for the Jamaicans. In fact, with three wins, six draws and only one loss to the Boyz, it is the Central Americans who boast the better record.
In 2004, Panama silenced the office with a 2-1 victory that effectively knocked the Jamaicans out of World Cup-qualifying contention. The Reggae Boyz have not beaten them since, drawing their next three encounters, the most recent a 1-1 stalemate at the National Stadium in 2007
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I think the Norwegian-based pair of Stephenson and Austin may be a bit stronger in the middle. Also, they will be crucial for the match in Miami which will be played on artifial turf.
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Target: Panama
Boyz aim to break 40-year jinx in friendly
BY IAN BURNETT Sport Editor
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Jamaica's senior footballers will try to break a 40-year drought when they hunt their first victory over Panama in a friendly international at the National Stadium at 6:00 pm today.
In attempting victory, the Reggae Boyz will continue their preparation for next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup slated for 13 cities in the US between July 3-26.
Defender Damion Stewart controls the ball during a team warm-up scrimmage exercise while (from left) Claude Davis, Jermaine Johnson, Khari Stephenson, Keammar Daley, Nicholas Addlery and Desmond Breakenridge join in at the National Stadium last night. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Jamaica have won just one of the 10 meetings between the countries, with six being drawn. The Boyz's lone victory, 2-1, was achieved in a CONCACAF Championship Qualifier here on November 5, 1969.
Fresh off what was reported to have been a smart performance in a goalless draw against El Salvador at the RFK Stadium in Washington, DC last week, the Jamaicans, boosted by the arrival of four Scandinavian-based players - Rodolph Austin, Luton Shelton, Khari Stephenson and Demar Phillips - are looking to book tickets in head coach John Barnes' squad for next month's regional tournament.
As such, Barnes and his players will be taking the game seriously, and if the intensity displayed during the latter stages of the week-long training sessions at Winchester Park, St George's College and at the National Stadium are anything to go by, then the Central America's Digicel Champions had better come prepared.
"I take every game seriously," Barnes noted prior to yesterday's training session.
"They are friendlies in name, but in terms of our application and our approach to them, this is the last official game at home before the Gold Cup, so we're taking it very seriously," he reiterated.
His opposite number Gary Stempel, who arrived with a 17-man mixture of youth and experience mid-afternoon yesterday, expressed similar views and is confident of a good showing by his players.
"We're here at this time and we're feeling confident," he said. "Obviously we have a number of players we will be looking at during the match, but all in all we're confident of their abilities," he added prior to an evening session at the Stadium.
"Obviously we would like to win... the players are fighting for places in the team so it's going to be competitive and that is what we want."
Ranked 61st by FIFA, Panama will contest Group C of the Gold Cup alongside Mexico, Guadeloupe and Nicaragua. They lost 1-3 to Argentina in Santa Fe two-and-a-half weeks ago and are confident of showing further improvement, especially with their record here, where they have won twice.
Jamaica are ranked 15 places lower than their opponents and will contest Group A of the Gold Cup against El Salvador, Costa Rica and Canada.
In their two most recent encounters, they drew 2-2 with Haiti in Florida and 0-0 with El Salvador, but Barnes is pleased with the way the team has prepared for this game.
"Preparations have been going well," he said. "The application of the players have been excellent; we've done a lot of technical work, which is against their nature - that is being organised and disciplined - so that has pleased me in terms of the players trying to do what I asked them to do," he added.
Barnes, the Jamaican-born former England international and Liverpool legend, will employ the 4-4-2 formation today, and although he has not yet finalised the team, urged the players to display more quality in front of goal.
"We need a lot of composure in front of goal; we were not clinical enough in front of goal (against El Salvador), but with composure that will come, and in terms of our build-up play I am happy," Barnes offered.
"As much as we want composed football, we want efficient football. We are going with 4-4-2, but what I endorse is not giving the ball away, keep the ball," he stressed.
At last night's session, Duwayne Kerr was in goal on what appeared the 'A' team, guarded by Damion Stewart and Desmond Breakenridge in central defence, with Oraine Simpson and Demar Phillips on the flanks.
Central midfield was occupied by Jason Morrison (who celebrates his 25th birthday today), and the impressive Rodolph Austin, with Jamal Campbell-Ryce being the attacking midfield and Luton Shelton and Devon Hodges in attack in the 10-man a side game.
It is expected that Jermaine 'Teddy' Johnson will get the other attacking midfield spot. He trained on the other team yesterday.
The squad is completed by Dwayne Miller, Adrian Reid, Ian Goodison, Rafe Wolfe, Richard Edwards, Khari Stephenson, Navion Boyd, Keammar Daley, Nicholas Addlery.
Shawn Sawyers, Roland Dean and Wolry Wolfe were dropped from the training squad earlier and didn't train yesterday, while Claude Davis has been training but is not expected to be up for selection for today.
Intelligent: john Barnes paid tribute to Jermain Johnson
Published Date: 06 June 2009 By Paul Thompson JERMAINE Johnson heads into Jamaica's clash with Panama in Kingston tomorrow with manager John Barnes wanting him to perfect a new role. Johnson is best known at Hillsborough for his pace down the wings or up front but he won praise for his debut in a deeper position in his country's 0-0 draw with El Salvador in Washington last week.
The new role of the player, who is 29 this month, is described in Jamaica as that of a play-maker or attacking midfielder.
Barnes said: "He is an intelligent player and the system is going very well."
Former Liverpool and England winger Barnes is using two holding midfield men, Richard Edwards and Jason Morrison, to complement Johnson's attacking attributes.
"We need to understand the amount of work that the two midfield players do to make Johnson do what he does... they cover for him, they give him the ball and if he loses it they try to get it back," added Barnes.
"From a strategic point of view we are working on trying to get him the ball in the right areas of the field...and he is respectful of the role of those individuals."
Barnsley forward Jamal Campbell-Ryce and former Sheffield United striker Luton Shelton, of Aalborg, Denmark, are among five Europe-based players who arrived in Kingston this week to join up with the squad.
Johnson was one of several players who suffered knocks in a physical training session but there appeared to be no significant injuries.
Barnes said he was delighted with the competition for places as his team gear up for tomorrow's game in the national capital and the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in America next month when they will play at least three matches.
"It's getting more intense now, the closer we get to the game," he said. "But it is good to see there is competition for places with the quality that we have, and for the Gold Cup it is going to be even more so.
"I am looking for us to be more clinical in front of goal and I am looking for us to be less naive.
"Since I have been here I can't fault the players, they are trying to do what I have asked them to do, even sometimes at the expense of their own game.
"They like to play free and run with the ball, but I am trying to get them to be patient and more disciplined in their approach."
Registered: 03/25/01
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TEAMS:
JAMAICA (from): Dwayne Miller, Duwayne Kerr, Claude Davis, Damion Stewart, Demar Phillips, Adrian Reid, Desmond Breakenridge, Rafe Wolfe, Jermaine Johnson, Jason Morrison, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Rodolph Austin, Khari Stephenson, Richard Edwards, Oraine Simpson, Nicholas Addlery, Luton Shelton, Keammar Daley, Navion Boyd, Devon Hodges.
PANAMA (from): Luis Enrique, Joel Solanilla, Felipe Baloy, Roman Torres, Eric Vasquez, Nicolas Munoz, Luis Tejada, Blas Perez, Nelson Barahona, Rolando Escobar, Gabriel Gomez, Alberto Blanco, Anel Canales, Jose Garces, Luis Mejia, Erick Hughes, Luis Jaramillo, Armando Gun.
Intelligent: john Barnes paid tribute to Jermain Johnson
Published Date: 06 June 2009 By Paul Thompson JERMAINE Johnson heads into Jamaica's clash with Panama in Kingston tomorrow with manager John Barnes wanting him to perfect a new role. Johnson is best known at Hillsborough for his pace down the wings or up front but he won praise for his debut in a deeper position in his country's 0-0 draw with El Salvador in Washington last week.
The new role of the player, who is 29 this month, is described in Jamaica as that of a play-maker or attacking midfielder.
Barnes said: "He is an intelligent player and the system is going very well."
Former Liverpool and England winger Barnes is using two holding midfield men, Richard Edwards and Jason Morrison, to complement Johnson's attacking attributes.
"We need to understand the amount of work that the two midfield players do to make Johnson do what he does... they cover for him, they give him the ball and if he loses it they try to get it back," added Barnes.
"From a strategic point of view we are working on trying to get him the ball in the right areas of the field...and he is respectful of the role of those individuals."
Barnsley forward Jamal Campbell-Ryce and former Sheffield United striker Luton Shelton, of Aalborg, Denmark, are among five Europe-based players who arrived in Kingston this week to join up with the squad.
Johnson was one of several players who suffered knocks in a physical training session but there appeared to be no significant injuries.
Barnes said he was delighted with the competition for places as his team gear up for tomorrow's game in the national capital and the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in America next month when they will play at least three matches.
"It's getting more intense now, the closer we get to the game," he said. "But it is good to see there is competition for places with the quality that we have, and for the Gold Cup it is going to be even more so.
"I am looking for us to be more clinical in front of goal and I am looking for us to be less naive.
"Since I have been here I can't fault the players, they are trying to do what I have asked them to do, even sometimes at the expense of their own game.
"They like to play free and run with the ball, but I am trying to get them to be patient and more disciplined in their approach."
I think the Norwegian-based pair of Stephenson and Austin may be a bit stronger in the middle. Also, they will be crucial for the match in Miami which will be played on artifial turf.
Khari Stephenson has struggled a bit here in Aalesund to get playing time, but as a offensive midfielder in a 3-5-2 system lately he has been excellent, and he has now found his role in the team. If John Barnes are looking for passing skills he`s the man.
Demar Phillips is just great and is learning the flat-back 4 but he`s even better as a right midfielder in a 3-5-2 running constantly and holding the whole right side. Great player which the fans have learned to love.
His have developed his defensive skills since joining Aafk, and it seems like joining Aafk was the right move.
wats the word on the starting roster, i know we are playing the ex man utd reserve and marshall in back... but do we have addlery and shelton up top or what, who is going to score for us
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