Question: Are our present crop of players more talented and playing a higher quality of football than time gone by?
Now I don't want to go back to the Strike Squad era or the 2001 squad, which in my book had much better talent (position for position). Comparing the main players from the last World Cup campaign to those of today, are we better today? Now although the same players might be available or in the team today, is that player a better player today. (Dwight in 2005 compared to Dwight in 2009, or KJ in 2005 to KJ 2009, Avery John 2005 to Avery John 2009). Here is my crack at it:
2005 2009 Winner
Jack/Shaka/Ince Ince -----
Avery John Akile Edwards/Avery/Whoever 2005
Dennis Lawrence Dennis Lawrence 2005
Brent Sancho Keyeno Thomas/Makan Hislop 2005
Spann/Cyd Gray Wolfe/Spann/Cyd/Whoever 2005
Dwight Yorke Dwight Yorke 2005
Chris Birchall Chris Birchall 2005
Densil Theobald Keon Daniel 2009
Carlos Edwards Carlos Edwards ----
Stern John Stern John 2005
Kenwyne Jones Kenwyne Jones 2005
Cornell Glen Jason Scotland ----
Aurtis Whitley Clyde Leon/Khaleem Hyland 2005
Latapy Latapy 2005
Some may argue for Jack in goal but I believe it is a wash. Ah grudgingly give Keon ah win, not because he is a better player, but because ah still cyah figure out what Beenie saw in Bleeder. Jason Scotland although a much better player today (maybe one of the best in the squad at present) cannot be thought of as being better than Cornell Glenn in 2005. Ah did not include Dog, who was better than what we have now in both Tallest and Thomas/Hislop.
Either we continue to live in the past or we face facts and move on. This team as constructed is weaker and should not be compared to the 2005 squad, which not only had better skilled players playing at a high level at the time but they were then coached to play team football.
The table above is a good argument for saying that our player development is non-existent as well as pointing out the ineffective work by the technical staff to prepare a game plan that suits the player personnel.
Blessings
