FACED with a frenetic World Cup qualifying campaign, a competitive Concacaf Gold Cup, as well as the uncertainties of COVID-19 next year, Reggae Boyz Team Manager Roy Simpson holds firm that stakeholders must give unquestionable support to the team if it is to succeed on the pitch and bring glory to the nation.

The long-time manager also strongly believes that if the Boyz are to fail it must be because their rivals are better players, and not because of an inadequate support structure. And Simpson hastily noted that nobody in the technical set-up or the team itself believes that the competition is better.

The Concacaf World Cup qualifying schedule was recently released, with Jamaica and the seven other countries in the final round set to contest 14 matches in five Fifa windows between September 2021 and March 2022, including playing three games in four of the five windows.

The Concacaf Gold Cup is slated for July 2-25.

In addition, a number of flaws came to the fore during the Reggae Boyz’ two-game friendly international series against hosts Saudi Arabia last month, which all parties involved believe must be resolved ahead of the resumption of games next year.

“We must get it right because if this team does not qualify for the World Cup it must not be because we did not do what we were supposed to do,” Simpson said. “It must be because all the other teams are better than us — and we don’t believe they are better than us.

“We believe that we just need to get the off-the-field issues correct — and it is nothing new. It is there, we have done it already, but let’s get everybody behind the team with good planning and always remember our accountability to the people of Jamaica,” Simpson told the Jamaica Observer.

It is reasonable to assume that playing three games in a window requires a deep pool of players, possibly three deep, and with football having been halted on the island since March, local players will be significantly disenfranchised.

Nonetheless, Simpson believes that sufficient talent abounds in the Reggae Boyz set-up but at this stage, it requires more than just talent. It requires strategic planning and organisation.

“We have to understand that it is not about talent at this level, it is how best you organise. But, I am confident based on what we saw in the second game, the attitude of the players, the professionalism, how the new players just came in and gelled immediately and looked like they were part of the unit for a long time.”

Simpson also noted that the new realities of COVID-19 laid bare some of the weaknesses in the operations.

“Again, we learn from this; it’s a learning experience for everybody though we might be hard on ourselves in terms of the organisation and the planning. COVID-19 pulled from everybody that it is not business as usual. If during normal times you usually get away with certain things, this COVID-19 operation will expose you because you have to plan to the T. But I think we all understand that and it is not so much about chatting now, it is more about action and how we correct all of that going forward.”

He added: “All our stakeholders have to understand that it is going to take a lot of work, a lot of energy, a lot of effort behind the team — because what we have to understand is that if you want to hold all players accountable, how do you hold them accountable when we are falling short in some areas?

“We must do all we can for every player that when they go onto the pitch and we do not get the kind of result that we think we should have got based on resources that were extended, then we can be judgmental and hold them to account.”

Simpson also revealed that some of the distractions which threatened to derail the programme in recent times created a level of annoyance to the point where he almost called it quits.

“It is extremely frustrating and being on the front line — though the players understand clearly, and by now Jamaica understands that certain decisions I don’t make — and knowing that it is no big issue, it is just some simple things that we need to do, it hurts.

“As a matter of fact, at one point I was near the end because I was considering that I can’t be a part of a project, I can’t be a part of a system that you have so many near misses each time when it is not about talent, it is not about anything than just how we organise and plan. And I am adamant and I believe that if I am going to continue with the programme I have a responsibility to the people of Jamaica.

“I can’t be around the unit for so long and at the end of the day you are going to say ‘If we did do this and if we never do that.’ No, we have to get it right. And as long as I’m a part of it, I understand the responsibility and the accountability to the people of Jamaica.”