I do not agree that Morrison can play central defence. He did it in a pinch during the Gold Cup, but he lacks the true tools of a good central defender, such as height, strong heading ability, battering physicality and so on. Yes, if we had a great partner for him, then it might allow him to occasionally play there, but we do not. I am a Morrison fan and advocate, but in a position of holding mid.
How tall is Morrison? Isn't he over 6'? The funny thing is one of JA's best ever centre half was somewhere between 5'9" and 5'10"...One called Douglas Bell. A brilliant defender and all round player..but not very tall.
Morrison is about 6' tall. And there have been some excellent players in modern football in the central area such as Puyol and Cannavaro who play much beyond their height, because of superb positioning, strong tackling skills, physicality and prescient reading of the game. But as the modern game goes, you will find that most central defenders are over 6'. Height is not my greatest concern, however, as many other factors come into play.
I can't speak to Douglas Bell, as I never saw him play. Did he play against better opposition than local and Caribbean ballers? I am being somewhat tongue in cheek here, because I assume that you speak of "Dougie" Bell, of whom I have heard, but never got to see. I just worry that sometimes these old ballers are sometimes made to seem much better than our present gang when they had never played against the level of players that our new ballers have.
Durrant 'Tatty' Brown is Jamaica's best 'short man' defender in modern times...that was a stalwart for Jamaica up to France 98 where he lost his place at the WC....playing him alongside a tall defender compensated for his lack of height in aerial challenges....but ask any striker in CONCACAF at the time...u couldn't get past Tatty Brown to save u life...superb reading of the game, tactical understanding and positional sense Tatty Brown had it all...any amount of times better than who mi see a lock up Jamaica's middle right now.
HI...
If you have to juggle u side to accomodate any one player, who, as you put it 'must be pon di pitch' then that player has to be an an exceptionally talented, all round footballer in the mold of a Steven Gerrard...
Rodolph Austin is certainly not that player.
So u move Austin to right-back, where Jamaica is now playing an attacking wing-back system and you have a right back who can't attack...or defend a flank position because that is not his natural position or game...
Bwoy, u really don't have no love for your favourite balla if u waan si him embarrassed even more than he has been recently
We need him on the pitch because he's our hardest worker, defensively, plus his other intangibles.
Yes, I realize there's a compromise without a mobile VERNAN. But if we have a defense as I suggested, and an attack of 5 midfielders: Fuller, Bibi, Pratley,Humpries, Dane, This will compensate for the lost of VERNAN. Lots of pace there in midfield.
FULLER left, PRATLEY & HUMPRIES running the middle, DANE right and BIBI or AUSTIN defensive nidfield.
Re: Boyz to play friendly against China on August 10th.
