By Howard Walker, Staff Reporter 
Downswell
JAMAICA'S football head coach Wendell Downswell wants continuous preparation at a high level for the national Under-20 team in their build-up towards the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games qualifiers next year.
He is proposing that the young team play together at least twice per month against the senior Reggae Boyz and premier league teams, and play international matches twice every two or three months.
The qualifiers are due to start next year and Downswell, who returned to the island on Monday night with the team after their failed quest to advance to the FIFA Youth World Championship (Under-20), made the proposal in an interview with The Gleaner. He said: "We will have to keep these players actively engaged. This will be a transition period, we cannot afford to lose them. My recommendation for these players is to keep them active."
He added: "Without that it will be truly difficult to make the transition and compete against the giants in North and Central America.
"We are appealing to corporate Jamaica to invest in these youths. If you look at the countries that are doing well, it all started from the youth programme," he said.
The team lost all three matches in the final round of qualifying in Honduras but despite not winning, Downswell said he was satisfied with the competitiveness of the players.
FOUGHT GALLANTLY
"We started out well and were competitive in all the games. We didn't lay back, in all the games we fought gallantly," said Downswell.
"If it wasn't for some outstanding goalkeeping from the Honduran and Mexican 'keepers the result would have been different," Downswell added.
He said the Mexican goalkeeper made at least four saves from Akeem Priestly that kept them in the game.
In spite of the losses - 2-4 to hosts Honduras, 0-1 to Mexico and 0-1 to Canada - Downswell thinks Jamaica's future looks bright.
BRIGHT FUTURE
"What was good was that in every game that we played it was obvious that they were growing in confidence and with that sort of approach the future looks bright."
So impressive were some of the performances that a few players caught the eyes of scouts at the tournament.
"Priestly was outstanding no doubt. The whole CONCACAF was impressed. (Luton) Shelton and the captain (Jermaine Taylor) also stood out," said Downswell.
