The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is today keeping its fingers crossed that promised financial support from government and private interests will materialise to take care of the expenses related to the Under-17s’ six-week training camp underway in Brazil.

The federation’s top administrator, Horace Reid, was due to arrive in Brazil yesterday, and at the forefront of his mind should be the task of tying up the business end for the second phase and to wrap up the Sao Paulo leg which is due to end today.

“We are still in negotiation on the costs of the first camp and these discussions are moving ahead in a positive way and to be concluded during my visit,” Reid said on Friday before departing for Brazil.

The cost of the initial three-week camp has been put at J$9 million, with an additional J$6.5 million required to facilitate the extension in Pousada Clube Serra Negra near Rio Claro — bringing the total to $15.5 million.

“The expected spend on the first camp include air travel, per diems for players and staff and incidentals. For camp two, accommodation, meals, local transportation, per diems for players, staff and tutors and incidentals are shaping up at Jamaican $6.5 million,” Reid added.

While all the funds associated with covering the expenses of the Brazilian expedition are not in hand, Reid remains confident that promises of help to underwrite the venture will be delivered in a timely manner.

“We’re very thankful to the Minister of Sports, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange for her expression of support for the U-17 programme coming out of a meeting held in Montego Bay on December 15, following the official CONCACAF U17 draw.

“Consequently we look forward with tremendous anticipation for this tangible assistance in the coming week to offset some of these expenses,” said the respected CONCACAF football administrator.

The first camp is being staged at Porto Feliz, a rural community on the outskirts of the bustling Sao Paulo metropolis, and Reid explained that the second camp will be a totally different setting.

“The first phase camp is based at a football academy (Traffic Football Academy), with all the attendant facilities of complete medical support, fields, gym, etc.

“The facility is not available for phase two. Phase two will be based in a hotel setting and all the attendant support systems will require meticulous preparation — fields, transportation, medical support, nutrition and classroom facilities,” he outlined.

While some argue that the Brazilian camps is “a waste of money”, the JFF is staying firm that this investment is crucial in the team’s preparation for the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Finals, which Jamaica will host on the North Coast next month.

“These camps are to be seen not only for short term gains, but more importantly, long term benefits to our football development. Undoubtedly, Brazil is the mecca of football for the quality facilities, holistic development, the quality practice games in a concentrated period can hardly be replicated elsewhere,” Reid noted.

He said that what Jamaica’s players lack is consistent quality game exposure, adding that training in and of itself is not sufficient to develop talent in a proper way.

“Players learn more through competing situations, therefore exposure to a professional environment will have a lasting impact on these boys. A training camp in Jamaica even with perfect facilities is never equitable,” Reid pointed out.

At the end of the day, the JFF hopes to get “a more rounded, confident, technically, tactically and mentally prepared team”.

The Young Boyz stand a great chance of qualifying as one of four teams from the Jamaica play-offs to be staged at Catherine Hall in St James and the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium, and could join hosts Mexico as CONCACAF representatives for next summer’s Under-17 FIFA Youth World Cup.

While the players will have state-of-the-art facilities and first-class practice games, their success or failure could hinge critically on the performance of the technical staff headed by the experienced Wendell Downswell.

“The work of the technical staff is always a process of evaluation as we move from one phase, or one competition to another. We’re confident that we have in place a balanced technical team that has the capacity to lead the programme to success,” said Reid, giving the technical staff a vote of confidence.

But if results are anything to go by, then the performance and progress of the team would raise far from flattering questions after a string of unfavourable scorelines.

In their opening match, the Young Boyz lost 2-3 to Saltense, then went down 0-4 to Uniao Sao Joao, followed by a 1-5 defeat to Uesportivo and then an improved 3-3 against Paulinia. A game scheduled against Deportivo Brazil for Thursday was postponed because of injuries to both of Jamaica’s goalkeeepers.

“The objective of the camps are mainly focused on the improvement and development of the players and the team. It is more critical that the boys grow in the fundamentals (technical, tactical and psychological) during the preparation.

“The results are more critical during official competition aimed at qualification to the FIFA U-17 in Mexico 2011. We would be making a mistake, in my view, if the objective at this time is focused on results,” said Reid.

Focus on results at this time, says Reid, “would sacrifice the development for expediency”.

“Even if the team should leave Brazil without winning a game, but realise tremendous improvement in technical and tactical skills, mental fortitude and team work, then the objectives would have been met,” he told the Observer.

Brazilians Rene Simoes, Alfredo Montesso and Luciano Gamma — in one capacity or another — have been assisting in organising the second camp.

In the case of Simoes, who was fired back in 2009 by JFF boss Captain Horace Burrell after unfavourable results by the senior Reggae Boyz during the South Africa 2010 World Cup campaign, remains a friend of Jamaica’s football.

“We continue to enjoy a very good relationship and coach Simoes has never hesitated whenever called upon to assist Jamaica’s football. I believe Jamaica will forever have a special place in his heart and he in ours,” said Reid.

Jamaica will compete against regional rivals Trinidad and Tobago and Central America outfit Guatemala in their group of 12-nation championship slated for February 14-27.