No safe spot for any player - Whitmore

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

With preparation for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup steadily taking shape, national senior team head coach, Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, says the national team will continue to evolve as there is no safe place in the unit for any player.

"Let me use this opportunity to sound a warning to all the players in the current Reggae Boyz squad, do not take your feet off the gas. The team will continue to evolve," said Whitmore, while addressing Tuesday's launch of the St James/Guardian Life Division Two competition.

"No one is safe. It's your attitude, commitment and performance that will earn you your place," he added.

While stating that the national team has done fairly well in recent times, Whitmore said now is not the time to be satisfied or relaxed with the state of the national programme, as much more needs to be done to lift the football to an acceptable level.

"We must develop winning habits in Central America ... we must work to improve to be consistent at the level of the top in our region," noted Whitmore. "This is what the 2014 mission requires."

In outlining the kind of players he is seeking to infuse into the national programme, Whitmore spoke to the need for strength of character and discipline, arguing that the programme needs players who are fully committed to standing up for Jamaica's cause.

"We need players that will not abandon the team in the heat of battle, and players that are willing and prepared to work very hard towards personal and team goals," Whitmore explained. "This will not always mean we will have the best players making up the team ... to succeed on any mission in team sports requires the right chemistry.

"For a team to improve, to get better, the individuals on the team must constantly challenge themselves to get better, and those on the outside must work doubly hard to displace them," continued Whitmore. "The moment there is complacency within the team, it is at that point that the decline in standards and performance begins to take root."

courage

Using his own development as an example, the man who scored both goals in Jamaica's 2-1 win against Japan in the 1998 World Cup said he had many setbacks in his personal and professional life, but has had to conjure up the courage to go out and give of his best.

"It has been my desire to make the best out of the talent and abilities that God has blessed me with," said Whitmore. "That has kept me going."

In explaining his philosophy as a coach, Whitmore said his ambition is to be the best coach he can be and, as a consequence, he has developed a hunger for knowledge and a constant desire to keep improving.

"I recognise the need to be hungry for knowledge, learn quickly from mistakes, listen more to those around me, be courageous and bold with my decisions, accept responsibility for my failures and, above all, remain confident and assured, yet humble," declared Whitmore.

For young aspiring footballers, Whitmore implored them to strive hard to make their dreams a reality, noting that many persons have gone the wayward route because of poor decisions, which led them to seek life in the fast lane.