By Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer A WHOPPING US$100,000 awaits the winner of the Digicel Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championship which will be decided in Barbados over the few days.
For Jamaica's Reggae Boyz that money is secondary as restoring lost pride caused by crashing out of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers is a primary
objective of the team now. At 5:00 p.m., the Wendell Downswell-coached unit takes on a tough and formidable Trinidad and Tobago to kick start the final round.
The Reggae Boyz are hunting their third regional crown to complement
victories recorded in 1991 and 1998 while the Soca Warriors are in search of their ninth title success at this event. The last time Barbados hosted the CFU finals, Trinidad emerged winners with their famous 'Strike Squad' that narrowly missed out on a place in the 1990 World Cup finals. Also, Jamaica have
journeyed to Barbados knowing that the last time they played there they went down 1-0 to the hosts two years ago.
National coach Wendell Downswell says the team knows exactly what is required especially based on the recent past of the national football programme.
LAST STRAW
"They have recognised that this is the last straw in terms of qualifying for a major tournament. We need that to keep the senior programme alive," Downswell said.
"Our first objective is to ensure that we finish in the top three and secondly we need to ensure that we continue being the No. 1 team in the region," he added.
Jamaica, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago topped their respective zones resulting in them getting the chance to compete alongside the hosts. Apart from the cash incentive and silverware on offer, all four participating teams have their sights set on a CONCACAF Gold Cup berth a guarantee for the top three finishers in the four-team group. Jamaica have been to the Gold Cup on five previous occasions, one more than Trinidad and Tobago.
"This stage is definitely going to be tough for us. This is where the true test lies. The games we played in the first rounds of the competition would have put the players in good stead going into this stage of the competition ... and we have an impressive record to boast of," Downswell said.
En route to Barbados, the relatively youthful and inexperienced Jamaican team scored an amazing 34 goals and conceded only four. Included in this were wins over St. Marten 12-0, US Virgin Islands 11-1 and French Guiana 5-0. Young strikers Luton Shelton and Roland Dean accounted for 14 of these goals between them. However the
mercurial midfielder Jermaine Hue has warned that the team cannot be
complacent at the tournament even though it has been in awesome form.
"We can't let performances against weaker teams fool us. These are tougher teams," said Hue who scored four times for Jamaica in the qualifiers.
BOYZ' LAST MATCH
The last time the Reggae Boyz graced the field of play they had to settle for a 0-0 stalemate with French Guiana in their return leg fixture in the South American country. Trinidad and Tobago on the other hand were beaten 2-1 in their last game by the United States, this in a CONCACAF final round World Cup qualifier on Ash Wednesday at the Queen's Park Oval. For the tournament, both Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica will be relying on mainly local-based and American Major League (MLS)
players. Jamaica will look to English player Omar Daley, MLS stars Andy Williams, Khari Stephenson and Tyrone Marshall. For Trinidad and Tobago, United States-based players such as the American Major League (MLS) trio Scott Sealy, Cornell Glen and Marlon Rojas; as well as China-based Anthony Rougier and Gary Glasgow should be the main flag bearers.
Tonight's other game pits hosts Barbados against Cuba at 7:00 p.m.
Possible starting side for Jamaica: Shawn Sawyers (goalkeeper), Tyrone Marshall, Jermaine Taylor, Damion Stewart, Fabian Davis and Robert Scarlett (defenders) Omar Daley, Jermaine Hue and Andy Williams (midfielders), Roland Dean and Luton Shelton (strikers).
