Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Fitzroy Simpson
FITZROY SIMPSON was one of four players to break new ground in June 1997 when he along with Paul Hall, Deon Burton and Dwight Marshall paid their way from England to try out for Jamaica's national football team.
They were not the first British-based Jamaicans to play for the country as before them forward Lenny Dennis of Leyton Orient did so in the 80s without success.
That all four made the grade, were selected and that three of them went on to play a key role in Jamaica's historic qualification and participation in the 1998 World Cup in France is no longer news.
With that achievement under his belt, Simpson is now ready to take on another challenge coaching the Reggae Boyz.
NO VACANCY DECLARED
Not that any vacancy has been declared with Wendell Downs-well elevated to the role following the Jamaica's 2006 World Cup failure and the double departure of Brazilian Sebastiao Lazaroni and Jamaica's Carl Brown who were at the helm.
Nonetheless, Simpson is pressing his case.
"I have the required ability for this position as I have experience of representing my country at this level. I know what and who I am representing. I understand the responsibility the team has commercially, socially and financially," said the 35-year-old Simpson who turned professional in 1987 with Swindon Town, played for Manchester City, Portsmouth, Walsall, Hearts and Telford in Britain.
FULFILLING A DREAM
"Being the head coach of my country would be a fulfilment of a dream that I had from the first time I put on a Jamaican shirt. I have the respect of home and overseas players, which is a must if you are to be successful in the job.
"Most importantly, I believe I could be successful in this job as I understand and respect the players and in return the players understand and respect me. My personal enthusiasm is to drive to bring my country back to where it should be in the football world," added Simpson, who displayed a tigerish personality on the field before retiring from international football in May 2003.
But while ambition and drive are important, Simpson has no experience coaching at the highest level.
He counters this by saying: "In the last eight years with Jamaica, how many qualified coaches have taken over? What have they achieved?"
He also cited the examples of Frank Rijkaard, the current coach of top Spanish club Barcelona and former coach of the Dutch national team. Rijkaard did very well as coach without previously holding a coaching position.
"Look what Rijkaard is doing with Barcelona now. Marco van Basten is now the man in charge with the Netherlands and doing very well also. Where did he coach before? There is also the case of Jurgen Klinnsman, now responsible for Germany and again he is doing well.
"My point is that you do not necessarily have to have that kind of experience to be a good coach. During my time playing for Jamaica I showed the fact that I am a leader. My knowledge of football also makes me a good coach.
LEARNING MY TRADE
"At this time I am also learning my trade with the youth team of Swindon Town and if one can make children absorb what you have to impart then adults are easy," added Simpson, who is also the holder of a UEFA B (coaching) Licence.
Simpson follows the progress of the national team in an almost religious fashion and has even prepared a plan for the future. His projections are divided into the short term, mid term and the long term.
For the short term he would invite the present squad to train for the upcoming Gold Cup "making few changes where necessary after" that competition. Following that would be a reshuffling of the squad focusing on players who are Under-25 and younger as well as a "focusing on the young home-based players, coaching and helping them play at a higher level overseas".
Establishing a settled squad would be the mid term goal, consisting mainly of players who can and will play in the 2010 qualifiers.
Once these players are identified Simpson said he would focus on getting them to develop "the strong mentality it takes to play for Jamaica, to have the sense of unity and team spirit evident in the 1998 World Cup campaign as well as the pride and passion to wear the jersey".
"My long term goal would be to establish Jamaica on the world football world stage and this can be done by winning games.
MEDIA ATTENTION
"Winning games generate media attention and media attention generate sponsors which in turn generate finances which will contribute to the growth of the programme and the future development of our football.
"Ultimately though, I would like to reinvest pride into our game and qualify this team for the World Cup finals," said the man who represented Jamaica 47 times, scoring three goals in the process.
Qualifying Jamaica for the 2010 World Cup, according to Simpson, is achievable because "the players available to me are better than the players who were available to the coach in the 1998 campaign".
Additionally, once the issues of lack of passion while playing for Jamaica and a misunderstanding of the responsibility the players have to the future of the federation and the millions of Jamaicans home and abroad - which Simpson believes were a major letdown in the two failed campaigns since 1998, are addressed - then the pathway to progress will be clear.
