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I met some of these girls in Mandeville at the Golfview in 2008. They are very focused and determined, many of them are hoping for US scholarships. They play with a lot of heart.
Typical JFF. Everything is poured into a useless friendly, such as Argentina...
I mentioned before that the 'Boyz should forego playing in tournaments and travel the world playing friendlies like the Harlem Globetrotters...
So what should they do, Pelepapa, play friendlies or don't play friendlies?
They need to make a decision and construct the programme to do one or the other. Either play friendlies to develop the game in JA and prepare for tournaments or play friendlies as ambassadors of football and forego tournaments. I'm a pragmatist, I don't much care what you want to do as long as your actions are geared towards meeting your stated objectives. I have this foolish notion that if your actions and objectives are aligned with each other then you have a better chance at success, but that is just my foolish notion. Based on fans reaction and how the programme is currently constructed the 'Boyz are better position to succeed as a globetrotting friendly playing team.
My proposal is not contradictory as you a trying to make it out to appear. Any sane person would think that friendlies are preparation for tournament and the JFF would have us believe likewise, therefore it was in that spirit that I have been responding to the moves being made by the JFF. If the JFF were to say that the stated goal of the Reggaeboyz is to be a successful globetrotting, friendlies playing team then I would have congratulated Burrell on doing a good job and concentrated my posts on addressing that aspect.
The problem is that the JFF actions contradict their stated purpose. It makes no sense for JA to be playing friendlies to prepare for tournaments when these friendlies are going to prevent them from doing well in the very tournaments they are suppose to be preparing them for, either because the cost to stage the friendlies will prevent them from being able to present their strongest, best prepared team at the tournaments or because the friendlies are just gimmicks that have no relevance to the preparation for the upcoming tournament. Playing in Europe against European and African teams might excite the fans, but it won't mean didley squat when you have to play a tournament in CONCACAF and it will only drain your funds. That is just madness.
ALAJUELA, Costa Rica - Nour Ghoneim scored a pair of goals to lead Canada over Jamaica 4-1 Thursday night in the opening game for both in the CONCACAF Under-17 Women's Championship.
Kylie Davis and Sabrina Hemond also scored for Canada, which finished third in the inaugural championship in 2008.
Canada started strongly, forcing a series of early corners, and took the lead six minutes after the opening kickoff.
Chantal Campbell swung in a corner from the left which Jamaican keeper Shantal Graham parried into the path of Kylie Davis.
A composed Davis half-volleyed the rebound from 12 meters over Graham, who was out of position. Two minutes later, Davis smacked a shot off the cross bar with a fierce effort and Campbell also hit the bar with a long-range effort in the 18th minute.
The Canadians doubled their lead a minute before halftime with Davis sending a perceptive pass to Ghoneim, who rolled a softly struck right-footed shot into the back of the net. It was a deserved half-time lead for Canada who dominated possession, creating a number of good chances during the first 45 minutes.
Canada opened the second half as they did the first: on the offensive. Davis had a shot well saved before Caroline Beaulne bounced a downward header over the bar, and Nicole Setterlund blazed over from 25 meters.
Seventeen minutes into the second half, Ghoneim made it 3-0, latching onto a long pass from Katherine Caverly, rounding the onrushing keeper and scoring into the empty net.
The Reggae Girlz scored a consolation goal in the 76th when Shenika Williams won a 50-50 ball out of the back, beating keeper Rachel Beanlands who had come off her line. She settled it with her right foot and eluded Alison Clarke before finishing with her left.
Three minutes from time, Canada finished the scoring when long ball from Alexandra Courtnall bounced off Shauntae Brown to Hemond, who converted from nine yards.
Group B resumes Saturday afternoon with Mexico, who defeated Panama 6-0 in the first game of the evening, taking on Jamaica while Canada faces the Central Americans.
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US pair answers Reggae Girlz call
Friday, March 12, 2010
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica —The Orlando-based pair of Adrianna Johnson and Anika Keene are in seventh heaven that they are now bonafide members of Jamaica's Under-17 women's set-up.
Both, newcomers to the team, were expected to start in head coach Vin Blaine's team for the opening Group A game last night against Canada in the CONCACAF U-17 Women's World Cup qualifying tournament.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — USA-based Under-17 Reggae Girlz (from left) Adrianna Johnson and Anika Keene at a training session yesterday. (Photo: Sean Williams) [Hide Description] SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — USA-based Under-17 Reggae Girlz (from left) Adrianna Johnson and Anika Keene at a training session yesterday. (Photo: Sean Williams) [Restore Description] 1/1
Johnson, 15, who prefers to play in the left-back position of defence, says she is hoping the opportunity to play international football will aid her overall development.
"I would like to learn to play faster, and playing at different levels, and hopefully this will help my game to improve...," she said on Wednesday night shortly after arriving from Miami.
And though it's a dream come true to be playing international football, the young woman of Jamaican parents is "kind of nervous, but hopefully, I will be able to play my game".
Blending in with the rest of the team, Johnson noted, will not be difficult as she had a previous but brief stint with the Under-20 team.
"I feel quite comfortable because I played with some of the girls before," she said.
Like Johnson, Keene plays for Florida Rush in the US Southern Conference Women's Youth Football League, and could not disguise her delight to be a part of a national outfit.
"It is an honour, I didn't even thought about it (playing international football) before I was invited. I just didn't believe it would happen for me this early; it kind of stunned me at first, but now I am starting to realise how big a deal it is," said the 16-year-old striker of Jamaican mother and Panamanian father.
"I am just excited," she added.
Before she knew that she was going to be a starter in last night's game, Keene was besides herself with the mere thought of it.
"That would be great; that would be something. I didn't even dreamt of becoming a national player, so being able to even play a minute on the field would be amazing," she said Wednesday night in the lobby of the Ramada Plaza, the teams' hotel just on the outskirts of the city of San Jose.
She says now that she is here, she is ready to do her best in fitting into the team.
"We really need to play together so we can gel... I have never played with them before and I'm really looking to start working together," she noted.
As a striker, Keene says her style of play is "unselfish", but if given a chance at goal, "I will really take it".
She has had so many goals for Florida Rush she does not even bother to count them.
"I'm not sure how many goals I scored because we really don't tally that up, but I have scored some," she ended.
-- SW
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- USA-based Under-17 Reggae Girlz (from left) Adrianna Johnson and Anika Keene at a training session yesterday. (Photo: Sean Williams)
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Joy, relief as Girlz join teammates
Friday, March 12, 2010
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Joy and relief were etched on the faces of young Reggae Girlz Shanise Bowen and Shantel Bailey when they arrived at the Ramada Plaza hotel here after being given the green light to travel from Miami.
The two spent an agonising day and night in the USA after American Airlines desk staff refused to check them in for their connection to San Jose on Wednesday due to a visa technicality.
Their delay caused some anxiety for the Jamaican contingent ahead of the CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup qualifying game against Canada last night at the Morera Soto Stadium.
Mexico were down to face Panama in the other Group A fixture.
Lost for words, defender Bowen said: "I'm very happy because I thought I wasn't coming."
Said Bailey: "I cried and if I was sent home I would feel bad." She however burst into laughter, relief evident on her face.
When the girls appeared where their teammates were lunching, a loud cheer erupted, followed by bear hugs and greetings.
Head of delegation Lorraine Scringer, who spent the better part of Wednesday with the two players before continuing to San Jose, said she was relieved it all ended well.
"I'm just happy for the girls because they were really devastated, especially when they heard they had to return to Jamaica, and they cried.
"If they had to go back to Jamaica I don't know how they would manage," said Scringer.
Neither player was named in head coach Vin Blaine's team for last night's match.
"We're happy that they will be joining us, but they won't play in tonight's (last night's) game... if they get here soon enough, they may change, but won't play," said Blaine.
The matter involving the pair was resolved after Costa Rican immigration officials contacted American Airlines on the matter requesting that the players be flown here, at which point they were granted visitors' visas.
The situation in Miami was a serial to a prior six-hour delay in the Girlz's departure from Kingston on Tuesday as American Airlines flight AA 628 to Miami was delayed after the Boeing 737 developed mechanical problems.
That delay ended with the Jamaica group of 16 players and five officials missing their connection from Miami to San Jose and had to overnight in Florida.
General Manager of teams at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Howard Bell, in a widely circulated press release, said "thankfully the situation is now sorted out".
"We're really thankful and grateful to the Jamaican Consulate in Miami for their assistance in getting the matter resolved," the release said.
The JFF release also sought to recognise the roles of the Costa Rican FA, CONCACAF and American Airlines in ensuring that the matter came to a favourable resolution.
Jamaica will face Mexico tomorrow and then wrap up the preliminary round on Monday.
In the opening set of games in the tournament on Wednesday which will qualify two CONCACAF teams to the Women's Under-17 World Cup slated for Trinidad in September, USA obliterated Haiti 9-0, while hosts Costa Rica blew away the Cayman Island 7-0 in Group B.
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LAJUELA, Costa Rica - Daniela Salcedo finally capitalized on Mexico's dominant possession in the 68th minute and El Tri subdued Jamaica 3-0 on Saturday at the CONCACAF Under-17 Women's Championship.
The result gave Mexico six points after two games and all but guaranteed it a place in the semifinals. Two teams will qualify along with host Trinidad and Tobago for the U-17 Women's World Cup in September.
Lucera Lara added an insurance goal two minutes later for Mexico, and Diana Gonzalez tacked on a third in the 76th. Mexicao also hit the crossbar in the 69th when substitute Maria Sanchez saw her dipping shot bang off the top side of the pipe.
Mexico appeared content to shoot from distance with Gonzalez, Christina Murrillo, Claudio Ibarra and Tanya Samarzich all trying but nothing that really tested goalkeeper Shantel Graham.
Jamaica, which was beaten 4-1 by Canada in its opener on Thursday, appeared to be headed for the draw when a Lara's corner kick in the 48th minute deflected out of the middle of a crowd in front of the goal but a well-positioned Lotoya Duhaney cleared the ball off the line at the near post.
Graham also made a diving block to deny Murillo on her 20-meter free kick attempt in the 61st.
But Mexico finally prevailed when Lara settled a long ball into the area, sent a short ball to her right to Murillo, who took two touches before sending the ball wide right to an onrushing Salcedo.
Salcedo stuck the ball first time to easily beat Graham.
Lara scored her goal when Gonzalez sent a ball into the area for Maria Sanchez. Graham raced off her line to defuse the danger, but the rebound fell at Lara's feet and she simply scored into an open net.
Graham was her own enemy on the final goal. After picking up a ball, she placed it back down and then picked it up again, resulting in an indirect free kick just inside the 18.
Sanchez rolled a short ball for Gonzalez, who drove a low ball around the wall.
Jamaica had a few chances, mostly through Shenika Williams.
Williams chased a dangerous looking through ball in the 26th minute, but was shouldered off the ball by a recovering Cristina Ferral as the two approached the goal.
The Reggae Girlz's best chance came in the 55th when Ferral collided with fellow central defender Lauren Reyes and both fell, allowing Williams to gather the ball in and approach goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago alone.
Williams closed to about 10 meters before unleashing a left-footed shot that Santiago just managed to get a piece of and deflect wide of the near post.
I am watching the game and listening to the CRican commentators and they identified someone on the bench as Whitmore. When I turn around to see they had already moved his image off the screen. Anyway they went on to pay big respect to Whitmore as a player as well the entire 1998 Jamaican squad. They told little stories they remembered from the team and players, which showed that they held them in great esteem.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Jamaica’s dream of qualifying for a women’s World Cup was all but dashed as its Under-17 team suffered their second straight defeat at the CONCACAF play-offs here.
The Young Reggae Girlz, after losing their opening contest 1-4 to Canada on Thursday night, went down to Mexico 0-3 in a 10-minute second-half blitz in the first of a Group A double-header at the Morera Soto Stadium in an early afternoon contest yesterday.
Mexico’s goalscorer Diana Gonzalez (left) gets away from Jamaica’s Shenika Williams during their CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup qualifier at the Morera Soto Stadium yesterday. Mexico won 3-0 (Photo: CONCACAF) Jamaica’s defender Shauntae Brown (right) makes a clearance ahead of Mexico’s Tanya Samarzich during their CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup qualifier at the Morera Soto Stadium yesterday. Mexico won 3-0. (Photo: CONCACAF) Mexico’s goalscorer Diana Gonzalez (left) gets away from Jamaica’s Shenika Williams during their CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup qualifier at the Morera Soto Stadium yesterday. Mexico won 3-0 (Photo: CONCACAF) 1/2
Mexico and Canada have now advanced to the semi-finals with yesterday’s wins. Canada were close 2-1 victors over Panama in the second game of the double-header.
From Group B, the USA booked their spot with their second win on Friday with a 13-0 whipping of the Cayman Islands, and will be joined by hosts Costa Rica, who blanked spirited Haiti 2-0, for their second consecutive win.
Mexico had won their first game by decimating Panama 6-0.
In tomorrow’s final match of the preliminaries, the Young Girlz will take on Panama in what should be a battle for third place.
But to Jamaica’s credit, they put in a gutsy display to hold off the strong Mexicans and prevented them scoring in the first-half, but that stubborn resistance went out the window in the second 45 minutes.
Jamaica’s coach Vin Blaine was obviously disappointed at game’s end, but said the Girlz should be spared full blame as they came into the tournament under prepared.
“First of all I thought it was a very disappointing performance coming off the Canada game, they (Girlz) just didn’t play with any energy and just weren’t challenging for the ball. But in saying that, we can’t be too hard on the young ladies, as they never had proper preparation coming into this tournament; they are unfit and it showed today (yesterday),” said Blaine.
Quote:
The same story... Maybe we should do as pelepapa say and stop waste money. Sending illprepared teams is a wate of money and the coaches and JFF staff and president that endorse such crap should bounce as well
Meanwhile, Mexico got their goals courtesy of Daniela Salcedo in the 66thminute, Lucero Lara (69th) and Diana Gonzalez (75th).
For a spell when Jamaica’s confidence was up, Shenika Williams threatened the Mexico goal in the 54th minute with a promising solo manoeuvre, but as she was about to pull the trigger, goalkeeper Cecilla Santiago plunged at her feet and snuffed out the danger.
A minute before that, skipper Trudi Carter watched agonisingly as her 20-yard free-kick flew marginally over the frame.
After a spell of sustained pressure aided by a wobbly Jamaican defence, Mexico took the lead when Salcedo rammed home from just inside the area.
Mexico doubled the score three minutes later — once again helped by indecisive Jamaican defending, which effectively cleared the way for Lara to score from just inside the 18-yard box.
Jamaica’s
confidence plummeted and their rivals made it 3-0 in the 75th from an indirect freekick, expertly finished by Gonzalez.
Mexico and Canada advanced to the semi-finals. Canada were 2-1 victors over Panama in the second game.
From Group B, the USA booked their spot with their second win on Friday
with a 13-0 whipping of the Cayman
Islands, and will be joined by Costa Rica
who blanked Haiti 2-0 for their second
consecutive win.
Jamaica — Shantel Graham, Shanise Foster, Renee Freeman, Shauntae Brown, Tisha Campbell-Henry, Trudi Carter, Shenika Williams, Lotoya Duhaney, Shantel Bailey, Alika Keene (Teola Caine 77th), Adrianna Johnson (Davia Morrison 63rd). Subs not used: Chris-Ann Chambers, Shanese Bowen, Remona Hyde, Sh’nell Briscoe, Natani Tomlinson-Trail. Booked: Williams (70th), Bailey (87th). Mexico — Cecilla Santiago, Alexandra Duran, Diana Gonzalez, Christina Murillo, Claudia Ibarra, Tanya Samarzich (Maria Sanchez 54th), Daniela Salcedo (Jeanette Jiminez 45th), Alexandria Rios, Lauren Reyes, Lucero Lara (Cinthia Sandoval 81st), Cristina Ferral. Subs not used: Charlotte Garcia, Anakaren Llamas, Alejandra Guitierrez, Maria Pina. Booked: Santiago (54th). Referee: Arlene Troya (PAN) Assistant Referees: Maria Dolores (CUB), Allison Moge (CRC) Fourth Official: Erika Vargas (CRC) Match Commissioner: Julio Rocha
_________________________
They make the world so hard
Vin Blaine failed very badly with the previous team he had but was still given the u17 reins.
I just read his interview coming into the panama game and he was laying all the blame at the girls feet. Basically hinting that they did not play hard.
Also made statements to the effect that the players were not fit which is his job.
He should never had this job and he should be dismissed.
We put up with too much failure. Give someone else a chance to fail
Has he ever had even a close game against a good team?
