DCC win was timely, says Horace Reid

Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sports

FOR Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) General Secretary Horace Reid, the Reggae Boyz's crowning achievement in securing the Digicel Caribbean Cup (DCC) could not have been more timely.

The Jamaica senior football team won the regional title for a fifth time, when they beat Guadeloupe 5-4 on penalties in the final in Martinique on Sunday, this after the teams had battled to a 1-1 regulation and extra-time scoreline at the Stade Pierre Aliker.

With the life of its projects fast coming to a close, Reid believes it will strengthen the federation's bargaining power when they return to the table.

"Winning the Digicel Caribbean Championships was very, very important for the programme. It gives the impetus and the fillip that a federation would want heading into a year for Gold Cup competition and World Cup qualification," Reid said.

"As they say, success breeds success, and success also inspires confidence, so from a technical standpoint the level of confidence would have benefited from this success. From an administrative standpoint, it is a good tonic heading into very important negotiation period for the nation's football product," Reid explained.

"Most of our sponsorship arrangements will come to an end as at December 31. Also, the success has vindicated the technical staff on the path that they have chosen in developing, exposing and preparing our players for international competition, with specific emphasis on World Cup qualification," he added.

Reid believes head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, himself a former Reggae Boy, has been key to the team's growth and success, noting the level of maturity he has displayed since he was handed the role over 18 months ago.

"First of all, I want to congratulate Coach Whitmore," he said. "I think he has demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that he has the capacity to guide the national team in the right direction. He has matured as a person, he has matured as a coach, he has put into good use the professional training that the JFF has been able to organise for him, and he's always bringing to bear the skills that he acquired as a professional player."

Landmark achievement

The team's victory is a landmark achievement for Whitmore, also, making him the first person to have copped the Caribbean title as head coach and player, following his role in Jamaica's 1998 win.

"It is a remarkable achievement because it also shows excellent transition from one level of football to another, and there are not many, especially in our region, who can and has made that kind of transition at the international level," Reid pointed out.

"From my perspective, I've seen very steady and progressive growth in his capacity to keep improving the programme, and a very level-headed, calm, meticulous approach to decision making, and of equal importance I've seen a tremendous capacity to confront on disciplinary issues."

When handling the Boyz as head coach at his first tournament - the CONCACAF Gold Cup - last year, Whitmore sent home a player, Damion Stewart, for disciplinary reasons.

The team appeared much more compact during the period they camped-in for the Digicel Caribbean Cup, where the JFF was issued an ultimatum by the team over per diem. The federation conceded. Reid said the whole situation was "unfortunate".

"I think that all would agree that what transpired, as it relates to demands made by players in Martinique, was most unfortunate," he remarked. "However, this is a matter that will be thoroughly discussed at the different levels of the federation - both at the board and technical and development committee levels."

Reid continued: "Be that as it may, the federation will move into what was always an important part of the plan for the next four years, and that is to offer to players that are selected from the pool four-year contracts.

"I can't speak to specifics of the contract, but it will cover all football activity, including Gold Cup qualification, World Cup, DCC and friendly internationals, home and away."

He added: "Over the next few weeks, the technical and development committee of the JFF will spend quality time reviewing, with the technical staff, the positives and negatives of the programme, with the emphasis on the recent DCC and the way forward for the programme. We will go through a period of post-mortem, covering the last 18 months, and look at just about everything, including our goals and objectives for next year and the rest of the qualification, staffing, scouting, preparation for the different events and all aspects that need to be covered."