Reggae Boyz need 12th man now, more than ever
With the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships in full swing, it’s easy to forget that in less than a week’s time, on the evening of Good Friday, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz will be in a crucial CONCACAF World Cup qualifying battle against Group B leaders Costa Rica at the National Stadium.
Jamaicans will recall that after an extraordinary performance in reaching the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup last year, the Reggae Boyz found life difficult in the early World Cup qualifiers.
They needed a last-gasp goal to get past lowly rated but very tough Nicaragua in a play-off game to get into the semi-final round of qualifiers. Apparently distracted by bickering with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) over remuneration, the Reggae Boyz were poor in their opening game of the semi-final round, going down 0-2 to Panama before a large crowd at the National Stadium.
Showing wonderful fighting spirit, they would bounce back a few days later to beat Haiti 1-0 in Port-Au-Prince. Unlike the Reggae Boyz, it’s been smooth sailing thus far for Costa Rica. The Central Americans first beat Haiti 1-0 at home then followed up with a crucial 2-1 away win over Panama.
As it now stands in Group B, Costa Rica are in first place on six points while Panama and Jamaica both have three points. However, the Panamanians are in second place by virtue of superior goal difference.
Since only two teams can go through to the final round of qualifiers, the Reggae Boyz must strive to win both their remaining home games – against Costa Rica on Friday and against Haiti who are so far without a point. In their remaining away games against Panama and Costa Rica, the Jamaicans cannot afford to lose. They must, at the very least, draw those away games.
That’s the scenario as the Reggae Boyz aim for the FIFA World Cup in Russia in 2018.
This newspaper is well aware of off-the-field problems. For one thing, the cash-strapped JFF has struggled to pay the salary of head coach Mr Winfried Schaefer. Also, there continues to be rumblings involving the players and the JFF over money. So as far as we are aware, contracts are yet to be agreed.
Yet, if Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz are to qualify for Russia, all those distractions must be put to the side. As Mr Schaefer said late last year, just prior to the away game against Haiti, the team must “focus” and not look “left or right”.
Also, on the evening of Good Friday, the Reggae Boyz will need all the support they can get inside the National Stadium. We know that traditionally on Good Friday Jamaicans stay at home or go to church. But such are the circumstances this time around we think an exception is in order. Supporters of the Reggae Boyz should transform the National Stadium into a sea of black, green and gold. Now, more than ever, Jamaica’s national team needs its 12th man.
