Jamaica Football Federation's president Captain Horace Burrell faces the media yesterday at Norman Manley International Airport to explain the firing of national technical director René Simoes. - Norman Grindley/Acting Photography Editor
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."
Left: We just have to move forward from here very quickly ... before our next game ... - Jureidini Right: I would not have fired him for the result he got in the games against Mexico and Honduras - Bucknor
