Burrell cites team effort in leap up FIFA ladder

Sunday, November 08, 2009 1:09 AM

Sport

BY SEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sport Editor

Thursday, July 02, 2009

The Reggae Boyz' leap up the FIFA rankings to reclaim the No 1 spot in the Caribbean after overhauling rivals Trinidad & Tobago has delighted Jamaica's football boss Captain Horace Burrell.

Speaking from his New Kingston office yesterday, Burrell said the 11-place jump from 76th in June to 65th in the July release represents the fruits of hard work from the entire team.

"We must commend the players, the coaching staff for their commitment and professionalism in the midst of trying circumstances, especially with our exit from the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign," he said a day before departing for the CONCACAF Gold Cup which starts tomorrow with the Boyz facing Canada at the Home Depot Centre in Los Angeles.

According to Burrell, the latest ranking is "our best in the past two years" and has positive implications especially for players plying their trade in the professional leagues in England.

"We are now back in contention as far as those rankings are concerned... this is good for players playing in England as we have to maintain at least a 70th ranking as part of their eligibility requirements...," Burrell explained.

He said with a deteriorating world economy which directly impacts Jamaica and with sponsorship funds subsequently drying up, the improvement in ranking speaks volume of the JFF's industry in keeping the football programme alive.

"When one considers the economic climate and at great odds resulting from that, we continue to move which means that the administration is doing something right... and we intend to continue this drive to keep our rankings respectable in the coming months...," said the CONCACAF Executive Committee member.

Burrell, on his second stint as president after returning unopposed in 2007, said government and private sector support continues to pump blood into the veins of the nation's football.

"Also we must recognise the continued support of the government and the fans and of course sponsors who continue to keep faith in the programme," he noted.

Burrell, a senior vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), sought to explain to those who cannot see the significance of the FIFA rankings that it is critical in marketing the Reggae Boyz brand to attract worthwhile opposition.

"People out there must realise that the maintenance of a respectable FIFA ranking is a very crucial element of a football programme... when the ranking does not look good, it negatively affects your image out there in the world, and when it is good, the reverse obtains. It is as simple as that," said the businessman.

In recent friendly internationals - with wins against Panama (3-2) at home and Cayman Islands (4-1) away - the Caribbean champions earned 519 points to leapfrog rivals Trinidad.

T&T remain at No 72 and are second in the region. They face an uphill battle to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, as in the period under review they lost 1-2 to Mexico and 2-3 to Costa Rica.

Cuba are third (85th), Grenada fourth (88th), after both jumped an impressive 14 places, followed by Antigua and Barbuda (107) who moved nine places to round out the top five.

Meanwhile, FIFA Confederations Cup champions Brazil returned to the No 1 spot after unseating Spain (2nd). They are followed by The Netherlands (3rd), Italy (4th) and Germany (5th).

Top 10 CFU teams (FIFA World rankings in brackets)
1. Jamaica (65th)
2. T&T (72nd)
3. Cuba (85th)
4. Grenada (88th)
5. Antigua (105th)
6. Barbados (107th)
7. Suriname (111th)
8. Haiti (120th)
9. Guyana (120th)
10. Netherlands Antilles (140th)

If you were to grade Derick Latibeaudiere's performance over his 13 years as Bank of Jamaica governor, what grade would he get?
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	F

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