We believe it’s appropriate to thank Mr Rudolph Speid for accepting the job as interim national coach of Jamaica’s senior men’s team.

Mr Speid is, no doubt, well aware that this task to guide the Reggae Boyz through the Inter-confederation play-offs — a second chance — for a FIFA World Cup spot next March may well turn out to be a poisoned chalice.

Undoubtedly, in arriving at a decision, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) was weighed down by huge sums already spent in the failed bid for an automatic spot at the 2026 World Cup.

We note with great interest that Mr Miguel Coley, who many believe should be taking over the reins immediately, is being courted to become assistant to Mr Speid.

That said, even as Jamaicans fume at the Reggae Boyz’s failure to qualify automatically, let’s spare a thought for others.

Let’s applaud Haiti for having done so.

Indeed, Haiti’s footballers have given their long-suffering people a monumental, badly needed boost amid chaos and anarchy haunting that country for much too long.

Consider that Haitian national footballers were unable to train or play at home in the build-up and during the Concacaf qualifying campaign.

Incredibly, Haiti ended up topping fancied Honduras and Costa Rica in Group C, with Nicaragua at the bottom.

Unlike fellow Concacaf nations Jamaica and Suriname, both Costa Rica and Honduras will miss out on the play-offs.

It’s a bitter pill for the Central Americans, especially when it is considered that, on paper at least, the path should have been cushiony. That’s because next year’s World Cup hosts United States, Mexico, and Canada were not required to qualify.

And consider Curacao, hardly viewed as a major threat not too long ago, but whose methodical, tactical approach relegated favoured Jamaica to second place in their group.

Without doubt, Curacao’s highly experienced, much-decorated Dutch coach Mr Dick Advocaat deserves great credit.

After the Concacaf Gold Cup in mid-year we noted in this space that Curacao played a brand of football suggesting a definite threat.

That threat came to pass.

JFF President Mr Michael Ricketts makes the valid point that the rise of teams like Curacao reflects the changing face of football. In fact, it’s a given that in sport no opponent should be taken for granted.

But it is also established fact that those who plan and prepare well possess a much greater chance of success than those who don’t.

It’s useful to recall that back in late 1997, when Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup, celebrated coach Mr Rene Simoes at that point had held the reins for three years. And, that admirable servant of Jamaican football, Mr Carl Brown, was ever at his shoulder. Such consistent continuity of purpose, quality, and leadership has rarely, if ever, been seen at the technical and tactical helm of our football.

The last qualifying cycle underlines the point. Jamaica lurched from coach to coach with inconsistency as a totally predictable offspring.

Englishman Mr Steve McClaren — hired last year and who resigned days ago following the Reggae Boyz’s failure to qualify automatically — seemed unable to settle on a style of play or personnel.

At the Gold Cup, the brutal truth was that Jamaica’s tactical play lacked method.

As Jamaica looks to this second chance to qualify there must be a longer view. Whether we make it past Oceania’s New Caledonia and Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo or not, the road must not end there.

Resource limitations made worse by Hurricane Melissa notwithstanding, there must be a long-term plan and a long-term coach, preferably Jamaican, with a clear football method and philosophy.

That choice of coach must be carefully thought out, using appropriately scientific and merit-based criteria.