These "talented players" that everyone is talking about... where are they? Who are they? I want to know that. Talent is a relative thing eh fellas. A man could be talented and tear up the Secondary Schools Football League and then get ah easy 6 from the US youth team, 3 from the Costa Rican youth team and so on.
And doh give me the old story that "individually our players are as talented as theirs individually but as a team we are behind". That is rum shop talk. Our so-called "talented" players still have not mastered the basic concepts of passing trapping and movement without the ball as has been so apparent in our youth team embarassments over the past 15 years.
I hear men talking about Hardest. How he talented. Talented where? Playing small goal in the quarry? Watch meh... it doh have anybody love that youthman style more than me on this board, but looking at the big picture, internationally he is just a little above mediocre.
So until we start realizing that the prima donnas we have are really and truly not as good as they or the Corneals think they are, we spinning top in mud.
Jah youth, I whole heartedly disagree... anybody who say de talent ent dere... either blind or is ah mad man. How allyuh could say de men cannot trap and pass. I could trap and pass, I bet you could trap and pass too... as well as do it under pressure. On the other hand I challenge you to do it while 4 defenders bearing down on you and your teammates just stand around and watch. It will soon appear like you have no clue when you give the ball away.
This is where I agree with you about movement off the ball... but I do not think it is as basic a skill as you make it out to be... It has to be taught because it is a tactical skill. I remember being taught at an early age (11-13)by Basil "Barney" Smith to look for the runs of our attackers and to take up de space created by them. When I went to secondary school nobody had a clue when i mention diagonal runs. Even a few years ago... playing against big seasoned veterans (ex nationals, trini and caribbean) I seeing strikers posin off like is a 100m dash. waiting for thru ball only to run offside.
It was sickening.
But jahyouth yuh cyah say de raw talent ent dere to be exploited. No way at all. This i where I hope Lincoln plan to certify coaches comes to fruition. Youths will be taught de right things at de right time to complement what dey naturally born with and what dey learn in small goal, 5 a side and what have you.
And when we have a set structure from u-13 come right up to senior level with nobody getting leave by de way side. Then we will see success not before. Anytime we see success now... is a flash in de pan business