'I selected the best players'
published:
Monday | October 13, 2008
Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer
Jamaica's head coach Theodore Whitmore reflects as he watches the Reggae Boyz play against Mexico in their crucial CONCACAF Group Two World Cup qualifying match, at the National Stadium on Saturday. Jamaica won 1-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Reggae Boyz coach, Theodore Whitmore, said player selection and a burning desire to win on the part of the players made all the difference in Saturday's crucial World Cup qualifying match against Mexico at the National Stadium, which they won 1-0, on a 16th minute strike by Ricardo Fuller.
Speaking at a press conference shortly after the encounter, Whitmore, the interim coach until former England international John Barnes takes over on November 1, said he chose the best available Jamaican players and players he knew could deliver.
"As any coach would do, I selected the best players to represent the country. That was my main objective," he said.
Whitmore replaced René Simoes, whose second tenure as technical director and head coach ended abruptly last month when he was fired.
Selecting players
Whitmore called up 10 players who were ignored by Simoes for the first leg Mexico and Honduras games, for Saturday night's clash.
Jamaica had lost the matches 3-0 against Mexico and 2-0 to Honduras, while they drew 1-1 with Canada.
"Another thing, I selected players to win games for me and fortunately we got the goal and as they say, the rest is history," he added.
Whitmore, who was Simoes' assistant, also said that studying the Mexican's style of play and getting a winning result at almost any cost, were prime ingredients for the team's performance.
Planning attacks
"We analysed how the Mexicans played, tightened the midfield and made our attacks primarily on the outside. In addition, heading into the match, it wasn't a matter of how we played, it was about the result and that is what we achieved," noted Whitmore.
"There are areas which we could do better in. But we have another game coming on Wednesday against the Hondurans and have a lot of work to do," he stated.
He also noted that with several players ruled out for the Honduras game due to an accumulation of yellow cards, changes will be made.
For Saturday's match, Whitmore included 16 overseas-based players in his 18-man match squad with only goalkeepers, Donovan Ricketts (Village United) and Shawn Sawyers (Portmore United) attached to local clubs.
Meanwhile, Mexico's coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, who was in charge of his first away game with the Central Americans, said Jamaica were good tactically and played to their strengths.
"I thought the Jamaicans played very well. I think the unit is a strong one. They are physically very, very strong, they are good at set pieces, they were always dangerous at corners, free kicks, good on crosses and at the end of the game they did a lot of good contact exercise as well.
"It is a little bit our fault. We should have moved the ball quicker, that is the only way to beat them, as we did at home in Mexico. That's why they beat us," he explained.
Atop standings
Victory lifted the Reggae Boyz to four points, while Honduras and Mexico are tied atop the standings on nine each. Canada are last with one point. The teams have two matches remaining and only two will advance to the six-nation CONCACAF Finals, from which three will automatically qualify for the 2010 Finals in South Africa, and the fourth place team will play-off with the fifth place country from South America to decide its berth.
Mexico's goalie Oswaldo Sanchez (right) dives in goalmouth traffic and punches away the ball from a free kick taken by Ricardo Gardner (out of pic), while Jamaica's Ian Goodison (second right), Ricardo Fuller (third right) and Luton Shelton (centre) react along with Mexico's Ricardo Osorio (No.5), during second-half action in Saturday night's CONCACAF Group Two World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium. Fuller scored, Jamaica won 1-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
