Reggae Boyz banking on long shot

The Reggae Boyz play USA in Kansas City tomorrow evening (Friday October 11, 2013) in their penultimate game before ending their campaign at “The [former?] Office” on Tuesday October 15, 2013.

The Boyz are banking on a loooooooooong shot possibility of finishing the 4th, the playoff spot, in this hexagonal CONCACAF World Cup 2014 qualifying round.  This is such a long shot that, if people were gambling on the possibility of the Jamaicans making the World Cup 2014 in Brazil, their odds would be something ridiculous like 100:1 (one hundred to one).

Current Points Table

Team
 Played Won Draw Loss Goal Diff Points
United States –> qualified 8 5 1 2 +4 16
Costa Rica –> qualified 8 4 3 1 +6 15
Honduras 8 3 2 3 0 11
Panama 8 1 5 2 −2 8
Mexico 8 1 5 2 −2 8
Jamaica 8 0 4 4 −6 4

 

Boyz’s Qualification Scenarios

October 12

  • USA vs JAM – JAM has to win — by 2 goals would be good to improve goal difference to -4 and points to 7
  • MEX vs PAN — Only a draw can keep JAM in the game — Both teams would remain locked on 9 points – Anything else, JAM is out

October 15

  • JAM vs HON – JAM has to win — by 3 goal difference would be good to improve goal difference to -1 and points to 10
  • CR vs MEX — A draw or a CR win would benefit the Boyz. Anything else and JAM is out.
  • PAN vs USA — A draw or a USA win would benefit the Boyz (Pan would end up with 9 or 10 points)

What This Means

Jamaica has to win both matches, and should try for a +5 goal difference in both wins to ensure that if they are tied with MEX and/or PAN on 10 points, they would have a 1 goal difference and get 4th spot.  Whilst the 2 wins is not impossible, a +5 goal difference is highly improbable.  In the advent they win both but don’t win by 5+ goal difference, only a draw and loss by both MEX and HON would put the Boyz in 4th place and a playoff berth to make the World Cup.

While I don’t want to get my or anyone’s hope up, that’s the possibility as long shot as they are and, think about it, at the end of Friday’s game we will know whether Jamaica still has a chance or not.  If Mexico or Panama wins tomorrow OR Jamaica ties or loses against the USA, that hope is done.

Follow us on Twitter (@Yowlink) when we will break down the games.

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Comments

9 responses to “Reggae Boyz banking on long shot”

  1. Alain Sewell Avatar
    Alain Sewell

    What this means? Jamaica did not qualify again for another World Cup competition, though 3.5 teams qualify the last 3. Here’s my suggestion, echoing the sentiments of most Jamaican football fans everywhere: BURRELL MUST GO!!! NOW !!!!

    See what happens when we change coaches? Same results. Burrell picks all UK-based players and fly them in 1-3 days before each game, except yesterday (1 week). Everyone knows that if 70% of your team is in Europe (mostly UK), it’s best you take the approximately 2 Jamaicans and 4 MLS players to Europe 2 weeks in advance and train there so that the team becomes familiar with each other, develop cohesiveness, etc.

    Secondly, Burrell saw the success of the France 98 team where he picked 3 UK-based, and 3-MLS based players to augment the primarily Jamaican team. That way, the Jamaican team could continue to practice until those pieces were added. That’s the ONLY WAY you’ll be truly successful.

    When Burrell goes, I hope the replacement man or woman learns from his mistakes and ONE SUCCESS. Jamaica needs MATCHES, DEVELOPMENT, AND LEADERSHIP NOW.

    1. YOWLink Unnamed Avatar
      YOWLink Unnamed

      Good points and I can’t say I disagree with them myself. Who does Jamaica have to replace Captain Burrell if, as you call for, he is fired or resigns? This could be the start of a good discussion.

  2. Tony T Avatar
    Tony T

    Jamaica just wasn’t good enough. I might not follow as much as the typical person on this site but if you lost 5 of 9 matches and draw the other 4, you are just not good enough. You might be terrible in fact.

    In the US, an NFL / NBA/ MLB/ NHL team that continues to produce sub-par teams year after year usually ends up with the coaching staff fired and the general manager often as well. In Florida, it is worse because we come from all walks of life and tend to be fair-weather fans so we root for you when you win and call for your heads when you lose. We do not want that extreme for Jamaica but if the soccer-/cricket-/track-nation does not produce year after year, something has to give.

    1. YOWLink Unnamed Avatar
      YOWLink Unnamed

      I tend to agree with some of your points. What do you suggest that Jamaica do when you say “… something has to give”? Does that mean you agree with the masses who say Captain Burrell must go?

  3. YOWLink Unnamed Avatar
    YOWLink Unnamed

    Reggae Boyz tried to push with three forwards but they ran out of gas, after the timid USA team realized that Jamaica posed no threat.

    Mr. @csharpe, what do you think should happen to Captain Burrell now? I’m hearing the following repeated since early in the campaign, “Burrell MUST go”. Do you agree?

    1. C. Sharpe Avatar
      C. Sharpe

      If Captain Burrell does go, which I am not against, Jamaica NEEDS to have someone qualified and vetted to take over his position, who can also raise interest and money for Jamaican football (soccer). In other words, Jamaicans cannot force Burrell out just to put “Joe Shmoe” in. That does NOT guarantee success.

      I too have been disappointed with this World Cup 2014 qualification campaign that saw Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz (1) fail to qualify for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, (2) fail to use local players, sometimes as few as 2, (3) fail to get quality practice matches, (4) fail to get adequate practice matches, (4) fail to get enough warm-up time for the overseas players, often flying the largely UK-based squad in 2-3 days prior to each match, (5) fail to score goals – 5 in 10 games, (6) lose 5 matches and draw 5 – resulting in ONLY 5 points, and (7) ultimately fail miserably in their World Cup qualification bid. In the process, Theodore Whitmore was “resigned” (fired) by Burrell after 6 matches and 2 points. I too would like to see new, practical management of football (soccer) in Jamaica where we start NOW with the Manning Cup/ DaCosta Cup youngsters out of Jamaica, and the younger local Reggae Boyz, perhaps a 30-player squad that does inter-squad scrummages, plays against local teams, and have international friendlies. After 2 years, add 2-3 European based position players and 2-3 US-based (MLS) players to round out the final 20 man squad for World Cup 2018 qualification. In lieu of an MLS-like professional soccer league in Jamaica or the Caribbean which requires a LOT of money/investment, that’s the simplest but BEST OPTION to see improvements in Jamaican soccer.

      If there’s someone who subscribes to that philosophy, then that person would be a welcome replacement for Captain Burrell.

      1. YOWLink Unnamed Avatar
        YOWLink Unnamed

        Well put. I tend to agree with all those sentiments.

  4. C. Sharpe Avatar
    C. Sharpe

    So, with all 10 matches played, the CONCACAF automatic qualifiers are (1) USA, (2) Costa Rica, (3) Honduras. Mexico, who only won 2 matches (1 against The Reggae Boyz in Jamaica and against Panama) took the 4th spot earning a playoff against Oceanic team New Zealand. Most people expect the Mexicans to win that qualifier and go to next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

    Team     	Games 	Wins 	Draws 	Losses 	Gl Diff Points
1) USA  	10 	7 	1 	2 	+7 	22
2) Costa Rica 	10 	5 	3 	2 	+6 	18
3) Honduras 	10 	4 	3 	3 	+1 	15


    4) Mexico  	10 	2 	5 	3 	-2 	11


    5) Panama  	10 	1 	5 	4 	-4 	8
6) Jamaica 	10 	0 	5 	5 	-8 	5
  5. Yowlink Support Avatar
    Yowlink Support

    Wow! This did pique some interest. But, better than this, listen to the Mexican commentator when the USA scored a goal to eliminate Panama in extra time, and buoying their beloved Mexican team to the 4th position where they were in the playoff spot. This is hilarious. You need speakers to listen.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1dT49UcU-g

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