The clouds hovering over Jamaica’s national football programme continue to get even darker with news of the hiring of Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore as head coach of the senior team.

The former midfield maestro gets another ‘bite at the cherry’ having previously served in that capacity on an interim basis before John Barnes was able to assume his duties in 2008, then fully taking the reins after Barnes resigned in 2009. That stint lasted until 2013 when Whitmore tendered his resignation with the team struggling in the CONCACAF Hexagonal final round after a string of disastrous results.

While I am cognisant of the current predicament that Jamaica’s football finds itself in, going back to Whitmore is not the answer and is a retrograde step, in my view. If one should critically analyse Tappa’s previous stint as coach of the national set-up, it can be concluded that he was lacking in some vital areas that are required to achieve success as an international coach. He was tactically inept and it was very difficult to identify the system(s) that he implemented. His tenure was also characterised by questionable and poor team selection as well as being accused by some pundits as a poor man manager.

Another very important aspect of coaching that was quite deficient in Whitmore’s previous spell was his ability to clearly impart his philosophy to the players. Many people have the misconception that once an individual is skilled or knowledgeable in an area, he/she automatically has the ability to convey it clearly to others. Several university students will quickly point to the fact that there are some professors who are extremely knowledgeable in their disciplines but are awful teachers. Based on the display of faith, I think the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has erred in believing that Whitmore’s success as a coach will be automatic due to his ability as a player.

We all know that Whitmore was a talismanic figure during his playing years and is one of the most skilful players that the Caribbean has produced. However, that does not automatically make him a good coach. Under Whitmore’s leadership, the team was embarrassingly eliminated at the first round during the 2009 Gold Cup. Shortly after leaving the senior team, Whitmore was sent to the U-20s to continue to hone his craft, but that also ended in disappointment after the team failed to advance from their group on home soil.

Between all the failures, however, he tasted success, as he led the senior Reggae Boyz to the 2010 Digicel Cup — a tournament that we are always expected to win. It is clear that the Captain Horace Burrell-led administration believes in Whitmore’s ability as a coach and has provided him with exposure on the international stage through participation in various courses and workshops. The administration should be commended for the desire shown to improve Tappa’s skill sets, but I personally believe that he needs to continue his development by coaching at the schoolboy or premier league level before being considered for a job in the programme; moreover the senior set-up.

The questions I would like to ask the JFF are: Aren’t there other local coaches who are more successful and experienced than Whitmore? Why isn’t Miguel Coley being given an opportunity to prove if he can do the business at the international level?

It is evident that the present state of Jamaica’s football is very gloomy and the JFF is severely handicapped in its capacity to pay competitive salaries to coaches due to a lack of financial resources. However, I am confident that we have qualified and competent local coaches who would be willing to avail themselves and offer their services below the market value (not US$100 per day) as they genuinely have the nation’s interest at heart.

As a result, I find it absurd that they have gone for Whitmore. Equally baffling is the fact that Miguel Coley, the recent assistant coach to Winfried Schäfer has been snubbed. In my view, Coley’s appointment to understudy the German was strategically done so that he could develop his skills and experience and take over the team when Schäfer departs. Being one of the most successful and promising local coaches in recent times, albeit at the schoolboy level, I firmly believe that Coley should have been given the opportunity to condition the team for the upcoming games.

I am aware that when teams fail at the international level, coaches are held accountable, with dismissal being the most prominent consequence. Although Schäfer’s separation from the Jamaica programme is understandable, I am of the view that it is senseless to overlook a promising, young coach after three years of investment without giving him the chance to prove his worth at the helm.

While I acknowledge and appreciate the willingness of Theodore Whitmore to serve his country, I believe his appointment is a backward step and is symbolic of the deplorable state of affairs in Jamaica’s football. Whitmore’s appointment will serve as a slap in the face to many local coaches, especially Miguel Coley. It is clear that Miguel Coley is not the finished article as an international coach, but the potential for success is evident.

After all is said and done, I wish Tappa and his staff all the best as we continue to search for the answer to the crisis gripping our football.

jerdaine@hotmail.com