Carl Brown willing to lead the Boyz again
LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
Former technical director Carl Brown says he is willing to return and lead the national senior team on an interim basis until the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) appoints a head coach.
"I am here to serve football and my country and I'm always willing to serve the national team," Brown said in an interview with STAR Sports yesterday.
He confirmed that he has been talking with the JFF and said any official announcement would be through the federation.
However, a JFF source told STAR Sports that it's a done deal and that Brown will be contracted until at least November 15, the date of the Peru friendly at the National Stadium.
Brown's tenure will also include two other friendlies against Canada - an away match on September 4 and a home match on October 8. The JFF is expected to name a head coach shortly after. Argentine Jose Pekerman, Serb Bora Milutinovic, Brazilian Rene Simoes and John Barnes are a few names that have been mentioned as the next Reggae Boyz coach.
Former national player and coach Ali McNab said he spoke with Brown about the job and advised him to take it.
"I gave him my advice and I said 'Carl, do it,'" McNab stated.
"Jamaican football needs someone like Carl Brown right now," noted McNab. "Carl must hold the programme and build on it until the JFF appoints someone who can lead the team to the 2010 World Cup."
Brown was first mentioned as a possible interim coach after the JFF announced Wendell Downswell would be replaced for a more qualified international coach. Downswell subsequently tendered his resignation on Tuesday, which took effect on Friday, August 4.
Ironically, Downswell replaced Brown in November 2004 after the latter was sacked, along with Brazilian Sebastiao Lazaroni, following Jamaica's failed bid to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Brown had his first success as national coach when he won the Caribbean tournament (Shell Cup) in 1991. In 1994 he was joined by Simoes and the two men took Jamaica on a historic run as they qualified for the 1998 World Cup in France. After Simoes left in 2000, Brown went on a one-year internship with English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers. He returned and served as head coach between 2001 and 2004.
Brown often played second fiddle to the Brazilian coaches, most notably Clovis de Oliveira, who was in charge during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, and Lazaroni. However, he expressed no hard feelings about his past tenure as head coach or with his relationship with the JFF.
When asked if he thought Brown was being used by the JFF, McNab said: "Nothing is wrong with being used but you must be paid for it."
McNab also pointed out that Brown would never feel he is being used as he approaches football as a philanthropic mission.
"Carl Brown is a server of the people of football. He is an honest human being who wants to serve his country," he said. "His mission is developing players and seeing them become better than they were before."
McNab added: "He is the best local coach we have. He has the experience and the players have a great deal of respect for him."
