Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
BOXHILL
BOSTON, Massachusetts:
BUOYED BY the national senior team's performance at this CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Crenston Boxhill believes it's prime time to bring the Reggae Boyz back to the 'Office' for some international practice matches.
The Boyz have played virtually all warm-up internationals overseas for the past couple of years and while confirming another - against Australia in England in October - Boxhill told The Gleaner he wants that to change.
Prohibitive costs was listed by Boxhill as the practical reason for that position.
"Prior to coming to this tournament I personally took the decision not to play any international games in Jamaica for the time being, Why? It's very expensive.
VERY RISKY
To get a good team to Jamaica it would cost US$60,000 (J$3,720,000 approx.) for appearance fee alone. That does not include air fare and accommodation, so it's very risky," explained Boxhill, whose JFF is undergoing serious financial challenges.
Now, he feels can be negated by the team's improved marketability on the basis of its Gold Cup showing.
He added: "I feel that now this team has gone a long way to convince our supporters at home that we're ready, we can compete at this level and I'm sure that if we bring good teams to Jamaica now the crowd will come out and support."
Jamaica made it to the quarter-finals where they lost 3-1 to hosts and the second seeded team, United States, on Saturday. They also lost the match before that, 0-1 to regional kingpins Mexico, the number one seeds, but had beaten Guatemala 4-3 and drew 3-3 with South Africa.
Speaking at the team's hotel in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday night, Boxhill said the Boyz drew huge attention from top teams in the US and after announcing the Australia match-up he listed Costa Rica, who played at Foxboro Stadium on the same quarter-final fixture earlier in the day, among several countries to have expressed an interest in playing the Jamaica national team.
"That is the only way the team can develop and grow, to be exposed at the international level," he noted of the youthful aggregation of players whose
talent was developed in Jamaica."We've secured at least one (practice match) so far against Australia, to be played some time in October in England and apart from that, during this tournament I was pleasantly surprised with the number of teams which have shown an interest in playing us.
"We've been in discussions with quite a few teams since we've been here with a view of getting international games both here and abroad. So I want to take this opportunity now to appeal to our fans, the spectators, our supporters, to Jamaicans to come out and support this team because this team is the future," he urged. "This team has shown that with a little support they can compete at this level just as everybody else."
SPONSORSHIP FACTORS
Commenting further Boxhill, who has served as president for approximately a year and a half now, listed several factors affecting sponsorship and with the belief that they are showing their worth, issued another call for support.
"I personally understand, some people are upset that we didn't get the type of financial support that we were looking but I'm not upset. I'm not upset because yes, there's a new president, a new coach, a new vision, a new outlook and it's going to take some time to win people's confidence, for people to understand what is happening and to decide if this makes sense or not.
"I think a tournament of this nature has shown that we're on the right path and therefore I want to take the opportunity to appeal to corporate Jamaica to support this team because this team is the foundation on which Jamaica's senior football programme is going to be built."
