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Boyz land friendly against El Salvador
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor
Friday, March 11, 2011
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AFTER idling on last month's FIFA calendar date set aside for international friendly games, Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are back with a flurry of two matches in three days in the month of March.
The Boyz — ranked 48th according to the latest FIFA ratings, their highest in six years — are down to face El Salvador on March 27 in San Salvador — two days after engaging South American outfit Venezuela at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St James.
FULLER... expected to play in this month’s friendly matches [Hide Description] FULLER... expected to play in this month’s friendly matches [Restore Description] 1/1
In giving details yesterday, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Captain Horace Burrell said both games will fit "nicely" into the preparation of the team for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the World Cup Qualifiers set to start at year's end.
"We're happy that we were able to organise both matches virtually overnight as we seek to take advantage of these FIFA dates. Getting these games also allows us to keep our FIFA rankings at an acceptable level on a consistent basis," he said yesterday.
Burrell, who serves on CONCACAF's executive committee, said the team did not take advantage of the February 9 date due to a number of factors.
"... We were busy in organising the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in Montego Bay and much of our energy and resources were concentrated there... also, our primary venue... the National Stadium, was unavailable due to renovation work...," he told the Observer.
Burrell said the JFF remains dedicated to "doing everything possible" to fulfil all FIFA-sanctioned dates set aside for international matches.
"It's very difficult. In fact, it's a challenge to get quality opposition, especially when we are not an attractive prospect for other teams, and that's why good positionings on the FIFA ranking ladder is so crucial," he explained.
For both Venezuela (ranked 63rd) and El Salvador (ranked 92nd), Burrell promised that a "very strong" squad will be called for the encounters, which is expected to include Stoke City's Ricardo Fuller, New York Red Bulls' sharp-shooter Dane Richards, Kansas City Wizard's Shavar Thomas, Norway-based Demar Phillips and Rodolph Austin.
San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Khari Stephenson has earned a recall to coach Theodore Whitmore's set-up after a spell in the wilderness.
"We have sent out invitations to most of our top players and we expect to get them as the games are being played on official dates for international game," Burrell said.
Jamaica have had the better of El Salvador in their most recent meetings. In the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2009, the Boyz were 1-0 winners, and two years prior they whipped the Central Americans 3-0 in a friendly at the National Stadium. There were also 0-0 results in friendlies in the USA in 2008 and 2009.
But the most memorable and significant victory came during a World Cup qualifier in the El Salvador capital back in 2004, when the Boyz ran out 3-0 winners in a difficult Central America atmosphere.
Against the emerging football prowess of the South Americans, Jamaica were 2-1 winners over oil-rich Venezuela in a friendly in 2004.
The full list of overseas-based players who will join the locally based players already in camp are: Shaver Thomas (Kansas City Wizards, United States) Dane Richards (NY Red Bulls United States) Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City, United Kingdom) Luton Shelton (Valerenga, Norway) Dwayne Miller (Syrianska, Sweden) Dwayne Kerr (Strommen IF, Norway) Jermaine Taylor (Houston Dynamo, United States) Demar Phillips (Aalesund Fc, Norway) Khari Stephenson(San Jose Earthquakes, United States) Damion Williams(Nybergsund, Norway) Kavin Bryan (Song ham Nghe, Vietnam) Rudolph Austin (SK Bran, Belgium).
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what the hell we a do with Jason morrison, i cant believe the man dem still a use Austin Jamica have the worst central midfield ever. better we use andy willaims and jermaine hue.
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Richards, Fuller in Boyz squad Published: Friday | March 11, 2011 0 Comments
Montego Bay native Dane Richards and Stoke City's Ricardo Fuller are among 12 overseas-based Reggae Boyz summoned by head coach Theodore Whitmore for two international matches later this month.
The first match is against Venezuela on March 25 at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall. Two days later, they face El Salvador in San Salvador. Kick-off time for the first match is 8 p.m. while the second begins at 6 p.m. in El Salvador.
Richards has been creating waves for the New York Red Bulls alongside Frenchman Thierry Henry in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. Fuller has not been a regular starter for Stoke in recent months but he remains a very dangerous player.
Preparation
Both matches are being used by the national coach Theodore Whitmore as preparation for the upcoming Gold Cup set to begin on June 4, as well as to allow the technical staff to continue to look at players available to the senior national set-up. Venezuela could potentially be a team that could be in the fourth-place play-off in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, and El Salvador as Gold Cup qualifiers.
The full list of overseas-based players who will join the locally based players already in camp are: Shaver Thomas (Kansas City Wizards, United States); Dane Richards (NY Red Bulls United States); Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City, United Kingdom); Luton Shelton (Valerenga, Norway); Dwayne Miller (Syrianska, Sweden); Dwayne Kerr (Strommen IF, Norway); Jermaine Taylor (Houston Dynamo, United States); Demar Phillips (Aalesund Fc, Norway); Khari Stephenson(San Jose Earthquakes, United States); Damion Williams(Nybergsund, Norway); Kavin Bryan (Song ham Nghe, Vietnam); Rudolph Austin (SK Bran, Belgium).
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Originally Posted By: Ballaprof
what the hell we a do with Jason morrison, i cant believe the man dem still a use Austin Jamica have the worst central midfield ever. better we use andy willaims and jermaine hue.
and no Hue....
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How is he dropped? They are called friendly games for a reason, to mix and match different combination's of players. The man just wasn't called for these games.
would have loved to see Cummings at least in one of the games. He was on record the other day saying he was looking forward to the games. sure he will be disappointed to know he is not recalled.
Yeah I read it and I agree that he must be disappointed...Especially taking into account that he still harbors ambitions of being able to secure a uk work permit...
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Originally Posted By: SamtheMan!!
How is he dropped? They are called friendly games for a reason, to mix and match different combination's of players. The man just wasn't called for these games.
Cummings has played or trained non-stop since March 2010.
Jamtl, i'm leaning on the idea that TAPPA might have excluded JASON & CUMMINGS for these friendlies since they are our main holding midfielder & striker respectively, so as to strengthen others, like Austin in that holding role.
He did the same at the DCC and AUSTIN was the player of the tournament.
Although I don't really agree with excluding JASON & CUMMINGS for these friendlies since its two matches, I can understand the strategy of placing the burden of holding midfield on the shoulders of AUSTIN & maybe STEPHENSON to a lesser extent.
We do need desperately to strengthen our holding position, it was the weak link in our last friendly games against PERU & CR. When JASON was subbed in the second half our midfield play broke down.
AUSTIN, LOVEL, & KEMAR could not hold it down like JASON did in the first halves.
If this is TAPPA's strategy these two frienlies should further boost AUSTIN's &/or STEPHENSON'S or WATSON(maybe) confidence.
How is he dropped? They are called friendly games for a reason, to mix and match different combination's of players. The man just wasn't called for these games.
Cummings has played or trained non-stop since March 2010.
The coach reserve the right to call who he see's fit. Players understand that they will be in and out of squads especially @ this experimental stage...I would probably understand this drop talk if he wast not selected going into a major championship or qualifier...
