Who could forget that glorious moment when the Jamaican Football team was once on top of the World? Yes I admit, there wasn't a trophy to show for it, but at this point you football enthusiasts and historians reading this should by now figure out I'm speaking of the coveted FIFA World Cup in France of '98! What began as a routine series of qualifiers that started with Jamaica's humble 1-0 victory over Suriname back on April 21, 1996, ended in quite the fairy tale fashion that quickly swept the sports universe off it's feet! November 16, 1997, will forever be remembered, and rightfully so! Jamaica 0-0 Mexico was the final song that the fat lady sang all throughout the National Stadium in Kingston Jamaica that day, all the way through to the final whistle! The capacity crowd of 35,700 at 'The Office' erupted like never before, as they united with the rest of the nation to bear witness to the Nation's glory of booking their tickets to the World Cup Finals, a fete that has never be repeated even up to this very day. 'WE MEK IT, WE FINALLY REACH!' were the cries of a 71 year old local male shopkeeper from the city of Montego Bay that echoed throughout the nation's euphoria, along with pot covers of all shapes & sounds that went banging from one house to another, while even the skies paid tribute in its own way, emitting Black, Green & Gold for the world to know, the Reggae Boyz were coming!!!
A once renowned national achievement has now become nothing but a jaded memory that a nation has ultimately hoped to one day regain for the past 16 years and counting. Let's be real, Jamaica has produced some of the greatest athletes in the world... period! Names like; Merlene Ottey, Juliet Cuthbert, Herb McKenley, Deon Hemmings, Veronica Campbell, Shelly-ann Fraser, Theodore Whitmore, Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and the legend himself, Usain Bolt, have all made the headlines that have all been impactful in placing Jamaica on the map with the occasional 'big-ups' to go along with it. This is a really proud country that shows no fear, and this goes to show to the world that in this case, size doesn't matter, but results may vary!
I believe over the years the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has lost sight of one of the main product that a country needs in order to grow wholistically, maintaining its youth program. The Manning Cup and DaCosta Cup have been for decades, providing the public with some fantastic piece of entertainment, not to mention when one side of the football stand jumps to their feet and in unison shout 'GOOOAAALLLL!!' There's no greater feeling than following your alma mater on their journey to hoisting their respective cup in the air and blocking roads as the unlucky ongoing motorists then realize in sudden time that they are stuck in the celebrations as well! Now to the flip-side of the coin, when all's said and done, and graduation day finally emerges for these young and promising athletes, most of them are nowhere to be found! Is this true or am I just rambling incessantly? Answer, TRUE. Not everyone these days get as lucky as the 16 year old Jamaican wonderkid Leon Butler who got that scintillating deal with sports giants Nike earlier this year, congratulations to Mr. Butler by the way. Jamaican Football needs a hero, it needs help, but that can be done? The suggestion is simple, commercialize the National Premier League! There are leagues across the Caribbean, namely the TT Pro League in Trinidad and Tobago which has even adopted its very own professional transfer policy and the 'no salary cap restrictions' policy, which is a step in the right direction of enticing high school graduates into the professional world of football. What we fail to recognize, I believe, is that football isn't just a game, its business, a job that requires full-time attention. We can go back and make reference to prominent leagues such as the Barclay's Premier League, the La Liga in Spain and of course the German Bundesliga just to name a few, but that won't solve the problem, will it? Our recent partnership with the MLS is a glimmer of hope, but that won't suffice my friend. Jamaica needs to establish a more active program that caters to our youth and recruit them right after high school, utilizing their talent even after their stints representing the Reggae Boyz at the under-17/20 level. Much of our well established high school star players have gone to be an unfortunate has-been who can only reminisce on the days when they were once stars back when it mattered. Sad to say, superstar players such as Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge have both been enjoying all of their success in professional football, representing a stellar club that is Liverpool FC and a country currently on the hunt for their second World Cup title, England. I have no doubt that had these guys been included in Jamaica's National team, the Reggae Boyz would've been in a different position today, maybe even packing their bags for Brazil as we speak! There's a lot more of the Sterlings and the Sturridges in this country, we need to find them and mold them into national sensations at any cost!
Jamaican Football needs effective leadership, and strict requisites put in place in order for one to be appointed Technical Director of the National Team. It needs the proper financial backing to see the country's dream take wings once again. I implore the JFF, and the organizations responsible for the domestic league, to take heed of what's happening, and cease to allow our talented young stars to keep drifting away in the wind, but instead utilize them to their full potential so they can finally aid in the rebuilding process of the National team. Gone are the days of having half the national players being 'english based', that is now long in the past; this country needs to focus more on developing the fresh products from home, right here in Jamaica! Explore extensive partnerships than what is currently in place, not only the Digicel Foundation, etc., but also the possibility of additional scholarships for these talented young and upcoming athletes, give them hope that all isn't lost, that their talent isn't only for show, but a reward isn't too far from sight. Football is not just a game, its life; it's what brings unity to a population of 3 million. Men and women, boys and girls gather to salute their national heroes on the big stage. I am 100% certain Jamaican football can once again rise to even greater heights than it did in '98, and be on par with the US Soccer team, and even Mexico, but it's what will be done from here on in that will prove what happens next. Jamaica! Are we finally ready to fight?
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