Cameroon date foiled... but Boyz confirm US match Observer Reporter Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Protracted negotiations between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and its Cameroon counterparts have denied Jamaicans of the chance to view the three-time African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o and his compatriots oppose the Reggae Boyz in a friendly international at the National Stadium on Wednesday, March 1.
Wednesday, March 1 is the first official FIFA date for international friendlies for this year.
But while the Cameroon game fell through at the 11th hour after months of negotiations, the JFF has secured friendly internationals with the FIFA number seventh ranked USA on April 11 in North Carolina, USA, and another with a team ranked just outside the FIFA top-10, also in the US in May.
At a function to honour Jamaica's Under-20 Reggae Girlz last evening, JFF president Crenston Boxhill confirmed the date against the US. He also said that his association is in negotiations with "a high-ranking African" team for a game in Jamaica in May, as part of the preparations for the June 3 fixture against England.
The Observer has learnt that the chance to host Cameroon vanished last Friday when the agent acting on both teams' behalf, after guaranteeing the appearance of the Barcelona star striker Eto'o, requested that an immediate deposit of US$100,000 be wired to the Cameroon Football Federation's account by day's end.
However, the JFF and one of its corporate sponsors, whom it had approached to help finance the international friendly, could not secure the deposit at such short notice. In addition, it is understood that the corporate body cited insufficient time to maximise the marketing opportunities of the game.
The JFF and its Cameroon counterparts have been in negotiations for the game since early last December, with one of the stipulations from the JFF being that star striker Eto'o participate in the game, the Observer learnt.
Cameroon are ranked 23rd on the FIFA list and apart from Eto'o, they also have star players such as captain and defender Rigobert Song and midfielder Geremi among their ranks.
The Reggae Boyz have not played an international friendly at home in many months, and the game against the African powerhouse on March 1 would have been a big boost for the local federation.
The Boyz last played a friendly international in October when they crashed 5-0 to Australia in England. Australia subsequently qualified for the World Cup Finals in Germany after edging two-time winners Uruguay in a play-off.
The England friendly was originally set for the new Wembley Stadium. However, it is uncertain whether Wembley will be reopened in time for the game. The alternative venue is Manchester United's Old Trafford Stadium.
The Observer has learnt that the chance to host Cameroon vanished last Friday when the agent acting on both teams' behalf, after guaranteeing the appearance of the Barcelona star striker Eto'o, requested that an immediate deposit of US$100,000 be wired to the Cameroon Football Federation's account by day's end.
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
Doesn't sound like it was what was negotiated, it sounds like it was a last minute figure thrown up by Cameroon, possibly to end negotiations. Hate to say it, but if one those countries came to me and said, "wire me $100,000 by the end of the day," I would tell them to go jump in the sea. Out of Order...and plus after all that you would probably have Eto'o not show up and then them don't want give some of the money back with the excuse that "we had some of our other stronger players there."
Gweh!!!
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Obama/Biden 2012 - We need people who actually think in charge, though they should learn to lead!
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Everybody who can't complete a job always has an excuse, and it is always somebody elses fault; never theirs.
The bottom line is that this administration does not have what it takes to effectively negotiate on a level as high as this. The England game (if it really comes true) was due only to England's badly wanting to play a team from concacaf.
Originally posted by Link: Everybody who can't complete a job always has an excuse, and it is always somebody elses fault; never theirs.
The bottom line is that this administration does not have what it takes to effectively negotiate on a level as high as this. The England game (if it really comes true) was due only to England's badly wanting to play a team from concacaf.
Link, I don't that response is firing on all cylinders. First of all, there is no question that Jamaica does not bring the same economic leverage to the table that a Canada would. Canada, though not a power, would have been able to get it done because they have the cash.
As suggested above, we complain that we don't get games, and then we complain at the very efforts to get games. It is very unfair to criticize those legitimate efforts by choosing to ignore the possibility that there may have been very real economic concerns.
We do not have complete information as to what transpired, so I would ask you whether you, as one who knows what it takes to negotiate at a higher level, would recommend accepting an ultimatum that money be delivered by the end of the day (particularly if it likely is not immediately available) as part of your negotiating. This of course is accepting the version of events that is available.
Unless we are in a ready position to donate the cash we should think twice about the shoot from the hip criticisms.
[This message has been edited by shaggybear (edited 02-21-2006).]
_________________________
Obama/Biden 2012 - We need people who actually think in charge, though they should learn to lead!
You might have reason though. There was obviously some poor planning here. If the game was scheduled for March 1, that's only 8 days away. Were they going to last minute all the players on this one?
If they were negotiating since December, they should have put in motion secondary plans for an alternate team. That way, if they could not lock down a date with Cameroon well in advance, then they would have had options. Had they done this, their ultimatum would have been little more than an invitation to be told to go jump in the sea. I think its more poor preparation than anything else.
It will be interesting to see if Cameroon plays someone else on March 1, as that might provide insight into the sudden request for cash.
[This message has been edited by shaggybear (edited 02-21-2006).]
_________________________
Obama/Biden 2012 - We need people who actually think in charge, though they should learn to lead!
Sounds to me like these guys did not dot all thier "i's" and cross all their "T's" in the negotiation. Again, we can only speculate but bottom line is that they were unable to secure the game against Cameroon!
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jagga: Sounds to me like these guys did not dot all thier "i's" and cross all their "T's" in the negotiation. Again, we can only speculate but bottom line is that they were unable to secure the game against Cameroon!
But at least the man de a try fi get good games for the squad!
Frank Yallop and the Canada senior team are looking for games during the Summer.Maybe we can get a match for all the NPL ballers like Shawn Sawyers,JJ, Daley, Dawkins etc and all the promising U-23,U-21 cats.
Canada is also training hard for the 2007 World U-20 Championship that they will be hosting so maybe we can get a double header in Miami or something........meet them halfway....
[This message has been edited by LINCOLN (edited 02-21-2006).]
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
Originally posted by shaggybear: Link, I don't that response is firing on all cylinders. First of all, there is no question that Jamaica does not bring the same economic leverage to the table that a Canada would. Canada, though not a power, would have been able to get it done because they have the cash.
As suggested above, we complain that we don't get games, and then we complain at the very efforts to get games. It is very unfair for you to criticize those legitimate efforts by choosing to ignore the very real economic concerns.
More to the point, I would ask whether you, as one who knows what it takes to negotiate at a higher level, would recommend accepting an ultimatum that money be delivered by the end of the day (particularly if it likely is not immediately available) as part of your negotiating.
Unless we are in a ready position to donate the cash to the team then maybe we should think twice about the shoot from the hip criticisms.
Shaggy,
How yu so diplomatic star?
Tell Links fi move him !@#$%^& wid him one bag a constant criticism, and nuttin fi offer!
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Originally posted by LINCOLN: Can anyone verify this?
Jamaica VS USA....... prior to Jamaica Vs England game?
Confirmed for April 11. See below.
Updated: Feb. 21, 2006 US line up Jamaica as final friendly
HARTFORD, Connecticut, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The United States will play Jamaica on April 11 in a friendly that will give players a final chance to impress coach Bruce Arena before he names his 23-man squad for the World Cup finals.
The match will be played in Cary, North Carolina, less than a month before the U.S. team begins a two-week training camp at the facility.
"The match in Cary is our last game before we make our final decisions on the World Cup roster," said Arena, "so it's obviously an important one for us."
Jamaica, who failed to qualify for the finals, have never beaten the U.S. in 16 matches with the U.S. winning nine times and the other seven matches between them ending in draws since they first met in 1988.
"With our World Cup training camp scheduled here in May and the great success that we had in Cary in advance of the 2002 World Cup, it's great to schedule an actual international game for the fans in the area."
Using an under-strength squad, the U.S. routed Guatemala 4-0 on Sunday. They play Poland in Kaiserslautern, Germany, next Wednesday before a match with World Cup hosts Germany in Dortmund on March 22. At least three other friendlies against opponents yet to be finalised are scheduled before the World Cup begins.
The U.S. open their World Cup campaign on June 12 against the Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen followed by matches against Italy on June 17 in Kaiserslautern and Ghana on June 22 in Nuremberg.
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Nice preparation match for USA....back in my old college stomping grounds, it is a small but nice stadium. Flights from FLL and LGA to RDU are relatively cheap.
Originally posted by jamatl: Nice preparation match for USA....back in my old college stomping grounds, it is a small but nice stadium. Flights from FLL and LGA to RDU are relatively cheap.
Jamatl, Does LGA mean Laguardia Airport? What'S RDU?
