BOOTED - Captain fires Simoes for poor performance
published: Friday | September 12, 2008
Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Captain Horace Burrell, has listed poor results as the reason for his decision to fire his friend technical director René Simoes in the wee hours of yesterday morning.
The other Brazilians brought here recently by Simoes were also fired in the move that shocked fans after the national squad's 2-0 defeat in a World Cup qualifier against Honduras Wednesday night.
They are Alfredo Montesso, Chico Santos, Walter Gama and his son, Luciano.
Along with Simoes, who earned US$600,000 annually, their total salary package exceeded US$1-million yearly.
The loss to Honduras was in a crucial CONCACAF Group Two semi-final round match played in San Pedro Sula.
Qualifying chances jeopardised
It was Jamaica's second loss in five days, following a 0-3 defeat to Mexico at the Azteca on Saturday. Both results, along with a 1-1 draw against Canada, have jeopardised Jamaica's qualifying chances because, with half the six-game schedule complete, they are lying at the bottom of the standings with one point.
Only two countries from the group will advance to the six-nation CONCACAF Finals.
Mexico lead with maximum nine points after winning their three fixtures, while Honduras are a clear second on six.
"It is results which count and therefore - we're very good friends, Professor Simoes is like my brother - but I have a job to do and I have to put all of that aside, not think with my heart, but with my head," Burrell told local media at the San Pedro Sula Airport in Honduras near 7 a.m. yesterday.
Burrell
He added: "I told him that it was painful, but that I had to take the decision because it's my responsibility and therefore at 0100 hours this morning (Thursday), in the presence of Horace Reid, coach Simoes was fired."
That meeting took place inside Burrell's room at the Hilton Princess Hotel in Honduras, where the team was based.
"I, in fact, fired him at that time," Burrell said in an impromptu press conference in the airport hallway after he had emerged from a very brief and hastily arranged meeting with members of the JFF coaching and technical staff, as well as all 18 players in the national senior squad.
"It's unfortunate, it's not something that I really wanted to do but Jamaica's football programme is bigger than any individual and certainly the decision, I thought, was the correct one," noted Burrell.
He expects to name a replacement for Simoes within a week.
Difficult to describe
The decision also ends Simoes' second tour of duty here.
"It's difficult to describe the feeling, first because you have a dream and in your dream is to make people feel happy, enjoy and feel great as they did before," Simoes, who clearly had not expected such an eventuality, told journalists at the Miami International Airport in Florida.
"This time things didn't work exactly as we planned ... so he takes a decision, you've to respect it. He's in charge, that's it."
Prior to Simoes' return to Jamaican football, the affable Serbian-born Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic was JFF technical director. However, he was fired by Burrell for underperforming, making way for Simoes.
Now, the captain has done the once unthinkable and fired his friend
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Mixed views on Simoes' dismissal
published: Friday | September 12, 2008
THE JAMAICA Football Federation's (JFF) decision to sack national technical director René Simoes following Wednesday night's 2-0 loss to Honduras received mixed reactions from the island's football fraternity yesterday.
The defeat left the Jamaicans with only a slim mathematical chance of advancing to the next stage as they are at the bottom of the table in Group Two on one point with three matches left.
Mexico, who on Saturday defeated the Reggae Boyz 3-0, lead the group with nine points followed by Honduras with six and Canada, like Jamaica, have one.
Saddened
Rudolph Speid, the new president of Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), said he was saddened by the sudden dismissal of the technical director.
"This is shocking and surprising due to the fact that it comes at a time when Jamaica still have a mathe-matical chance of qualifying for World Cup," said Speid, a former treasurer of the JFF.
"It is now going to be very difficult for the new coach to get the maximum nine points to qualify but we have to hope for the best," he said.
Clyde Jureidini, general manager of Harbour View, said it is was unfortunate but not a strange decision by the JFF.
"I think it is fairly normal that when the results are not gained ... and it is imminent that the team may not progress, then the coach or a technical director is relieved of his duties," Jureidini said. "We just have to move forward from here very quickly because we have another month before our next game, which is considered to be a do-or-die game for us."
Ali McNab, a former national coach, said: "This is what happens to coaches that don't deliver and (René) Simoes has not delivered this time around. The disappointment for me really began before his firing because we have produced a number of good players since the '98 campaign who were not selected for these qualifiers."
The decision to sack Simoes was also met with mixed reactions out west.
Anthony 'Follies' Williams, former coach of Wadadah, said: "Simoes should not have been brought back to Jamaica in the first place. We should have kept 'Bora' (Velibor Milutinovic). Simoes did all he could do for us back in 1998, so the only thing he could do for us this time around was fail."
Steve Bucknor, former FIFA referee and highly-rated Test cricket umpire, said: "The truth is that I don't know why he was fired. I would not have fired him for the result he got in the games against Mexico and Honduras. It is hard to say he was not doing a good job because he could be doing his best and it is the players who are not responding. Nonetheless, the Brazilian way is not our way."
Short-sightedness
Craig Oates, vice-president of the Hanover FA and vice-chairman of the JFF Western Confederation, said: "It was short-sightedness on the part of the JFF administration why Simoes was brought back here in the first place. In fact, in my opinion, he was brought here solely to help fill seats at the National Stadium. In going forward, the JFF needs to develop a comprehensive plan to revamp national football."
Paul 'Tegat' Davis, former national striker and top local coach, said: "The JFF feels that he was not getting the job done so, like most coaches who fail to deliver, he was fired. I believe he made some mistakes in terms of team selection but, in light of what he has done for us in the past, I believe we could have kept him until the end of the campaign - out of respect."
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BARBADOS
Yarde throws hat in BFA
Published on: 9/12/08.
by EZRA STUART
FORMER national junior and senior team manager Sherlock Yarde will definitely be running for the presidency of the Barbados Football Association (BFA) later this month.
Yarde, who has also masterminded the success of Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame in the last decade, told WEEKEND SPORT that several clubs and influential members of the football fraternity had asked him to run for the presidency.
Consequently, he could be challenging long-serving incumbent Ronald Jones for the top post at the upcoming BFA's elections on September 28.
Yarde said it was because of his "commitment, achievements, organisational skills and financial contributions to football over the years" that he was asked to run.
"After discussing it with very close friends and family, I have accepted the invitation to run," he said.
"The BFA has failed football in all areas and I think it is a conflict of interest for the president to be the Minister of Education and Human Resources and be the president of the BFA at the same time," Yarde charged.
He questioned the time and commitment which Jones gave to football and its management, as well as the effectiveness of the current BFA executive membership.
Yarde urged the football fraternity to keep political affiliation out of the election.
"You should not vote for Mr Jones because you support the Dems and vote against him because you are a Barbados Labour Party supporter.
"But you should vote out the present BFA executive for non-performance and administrative blunders that have curtailed any development in football. We cannot allow them to continue along this path to the detriment of football," he said.
The outspoken Yarde further contended that the current BFA executive didn't understand the significance of sport and what it could do for a country.
"They have failed to do the organisational planning and improvement of the infrastructure to help propel football to another level.
"Most of the BFA executive seem to be more concerned with what they can get from football than what they can do to help football," he suggested.
Yarde claimed that during the last decade when Jones was in charge of football, there had been little or no progress at all.
"Football has gone from playing at the National Stadium and Carlton to playing at the YMCA, Bridgefield and Weymouth "B".
"National teams still have problems with stipends, training gear and off-the-field gear when taking part in international tournaments and a host of other problems from the past are still in existence," Yarde remarked.
"I therefore challenge the football fraternity to tell me any positive thing the president and his executive council have done over that ten-year period."
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GUYANA - Stabroek News
What does the GFF have to show for development
BY Staff
Dear Editor,
Lawrence Griffith’s letter captioned ‘Sport in Guyana is not going anywhere’ published in SN 3.9.08, despite highlighting a few positives in reality should be confined to the national archives, along with those of his mindset, to gather dust.
The individual whose association/involvement with sports approaches two decades has avoided football and its under-development. Football, the world’s most popular, passionate and emotional sport is quite the opposite when it comes to administration in Guyana, which is probably the only country in the world that retains its technical and managerial staff after a string of failures at the international level.
‘One must not sport with sports,’ since in today’s world it’s serious business; neither should it be politicized − Griffith’s choice of words to an extent. But isn’t it politicization that over the years has left a few persons with a vast knowledge and love for football out in the cold, preventing them from making a meaningful contribution to development because of their outspokenness? Isn’t it sporting with sports not to have allowed the Guyana Football Federation, from constructing its training facility under the FIFA Goal Project, to the tune of US$700,000 for well over five years? Some countries in the region have gone on to phase two, constructing a facility with an artificial turf. Isn’t it sporting with sports for the powers-that-be in Trinidad, to summon the GFF within 48 hours for an international friendly at the senior level, while the Guyanese, who represent Tobago United in the T&TFF Pro League cannot be released to represent their country? Are these the types of arrangement the GFF makes? The end result was 3-0 in favour of Trinidad & Tobago! Mr Editor, I can go on, but time and space will not permit me. However, as a timely reminder to Lawrence, the GFF of all the national association federations receives the largest grant, not nationally, but from its parent body, FIFA. And what have they to show for development? The annual subvention of $50M may be much more than what all the national associations combined receive, but look at badminton and squash, devoid of paying spectatorship unlike football, and compare the progress made. Finally, while I would agree that occasional grants and tax exemptions will not develop sport, nevertheless it remains incumbent upon the government to develop a multipurpose training facility which would cater for all the national sporting disciplines, and which would be provided with state-of-the-art equipment, dormitories, classrooms, kitchens, medical facilities, etc, in addition to a well trained-staff to ensure maximum use. It could also cater for the development of Olympics sports, such as kayaking, in which our Amerindian brothers and sisters can excel, if given the opportunity.
Yours faithfully,
Maurice Cato
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ANTIGUA
Antigua will face top guns in under-20 grouping
Friday September 12 2008
by Neto Baptiste
The second round grouping in the Caribbean Football Union’s men’s under-20 qualifiers have placed Antigua in Group H of the tournament where they will face two of the region’s top hitters, Jamaica and Aruba.
Round two, which is slated to kick-off in November, will see Group H battle from 16-21 Nov., in Aruba where Antigua will take on the host in their opening contest on 18 Nov., at the Guillermo P. Stadium at 8 p.m. Two days later on 20 Nov., Antigua will tackle Jamaica at the Trinidad Stadium also at 8 p.m.
Head coach of the national under-20 team, George “Cajawawa” Warner, said that a number of his key players are currently nursing injuries or are not on island but says preparations have been going well and is looking forward to playing against the likes of Jamaica and Aruba.
“Molvin James, who is the number one goalkeeper, picked up an ankle injury and has also twisted his knee so he is currently nursing that so he is not really at 100 per cent – he is maybe at 70 per cent while Stephan Smith is nursing a toe injury also so we are just trying to get ourselves ready,” he said.
“We have three players who are also overseas at this moment in Kevon Browne who is overseas in high-school in New Jersey along with J. Thomas who is in college and Jon Mussington who is in England undergoing a stint with a club team,” he added.
Warner, who has been one of the country’s most successful youth coach for many years now went on to state that the task ahead is a tough one but relishes playing against the big guns.
“Well I think that it’s the first time for us, in entering a second round that CONCACAF has placed us in a group with another team who also finished at the top of their group but however we are still here training twice per week and try to put a game together on the weekends to keep the players jelled,” he said.
“We will meet them (Jamaica) on neutral ground this time because over the years they beat up on us and the last time we played them at the Antigua Recreation Grounds when I was the head coach under Walter Gamma they beat us 1-0 and I have always had that game on my mind. There are also some players who played that match who are now on the team and are hoping to get a shot at them again,” Warner told the Antigua Sun.
Antigua finished at the top of their group in round one of the competition winning all three of their encounters and will be looking to build on their efforts going into the November leg of the contest.
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ST VINCENT
SVGFF wants a move on Ministries’ bureaucracy
The Executive of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) has launched the community arm of its Youth Football Development Programme, but the start date of the school based component is being stalled because of an apparent lack of synergy between the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Education. (remainder of story inaccesible)
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ST KITTS
Federation to host three Digicel Caribbean Championship matches
Thursday September 11 2008
by Saju Ng’alla
President of the St. Kitts/Nevis Football Association, Peter Jenkins, announced that St. Kitts will be hosting three matches, in stage one of the Digicel Caribbean Championships during the Federation’s Independence celebrations.
Jenkins said regional matches to be held at Warner Park Stadium will highlight some of the Caribbean’s best football teams, especially when the St. Kitts national team takes on the BVI and Barbados national teams.
“The St. Kitts/Nevis National Senior Team will play against Barbados and BVI in Group D of the first stage of the Digicel Championships. Our team has been training for the matches and we expect them to do very well,” Jenkins said.
The first match will take place on 24 Sept., when St. Kitts/Nevis takes on the BVI. Then on 26 Sept., the BVI will go up against Barbados. On 28 Sept., under the big lights of the Warner Park Stadium, St. Kitts will battle Barbados. All matches will be played at the Warner Park Stadium at 7 p.m. nightly.
Jenkins explained that if successful, the St. Kitts/Nevis team will move onto the next stage of the tournament to be played in Guadeloupe in October, between the winner of Groups C and D and the runner-up of Group B.
He also commented on the timely nature of the games being played in St. Kitts during the Federation’s 25th Silver Jubilee Independence anniversary.
“We think it’s fitting that the matches are taking place during the Independence season and the SKNFA is encouraging the nation to turn out and support our national football team. We are also definitely excited to see the new look of the team,” Jenkins said.
The SKNFA president said that patrons at the games will “be in for some excitement” including the Kick for Cash during each half-time where one lucky patron can win $1,000.
He said other promotions and giveaways as well as ticket prices will be announced in the very near future.
“We will make sure the games are affordable so that fans can attend all three matches and bring along their kids but prices will also be in keeping with international games standards. "We have a lot in store for patrons including a party stand and special prizes for the football fans.”
