- FileKeith Kelly
Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter
ON THE surface, Jamaica's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica which kicks off at the National Stadium at 3:00 p.m. today appears to be a very empty game with nothing at stake.
Gone is the possibility of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup and the five-year unbeaten record at the National Stadium. They went with the Mexico defeat.
If one peeks a little closer though, it will be seen how much is on the line.
To begin with, coach Carl Brown, who has been waiting in the wings for some time to be given a shot at the technical director role, will want to make a further case - with a weakened army. Brown is well aware of the situation. He is disappointed that he does not have the strongest squad at his disposal but is up for the challenge.
"I am disappointed but I understand. It is a challenge. It is the sort of challenge that I love. This is why I am emphasising to the players that they will have to be the ones who take the message out," said Brown who pointed out the players will be on trial as well.
These players, he said, will have to convince the public and corporate Jamaica that they are capable and that they deserve to be given a chance.
"They will have to do that. It is not a Carl Brown who will be out there, it is the local players.'
A number of these players have been on the fringes of the national team for some time and today is their day to make it count. Among them are midfielder Winston Griffiths who will slot into the left side of midfield and Fabian Davis who should start in place which he is more suited for - the right side of midfield. The 18-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Keith Kelly, is expected to start just behind the two forwards - if his injured ankle holds up.
The performance of a largely local-based group of players in Jamaica's last World Cup qualifying game against the United States last month has convinced Brown he is on the right track.
In that game, the likes of debutante Robert Scarlett and the rarely-used Marco McDonald gave assured performances.
"Young Scarlett and Fabian Davis, who has been knocking at the door for some time, played well in that game. Marco McDonald showed he is very capable of competing at this level," Brown said.
Those performances strengthened Brown's hand thus his emphasis for today's game.
"I want to look at exposing the young players. I keep saying that they have a message to send to the public. I believe we have enough talent here and that we need to start now our preparation in exposing the local ones. We need to do something, to put something in place to ensure they are properly prepared for the 2006 campaign."
