Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
AFTER 19 months in the hot seat, national football coach Wendell Downswell on Tuesday called it quits, citing that corporate Jamaica does not really support local coaches.
"You know people have the concept about the foreign coaches. They will probably give them the necessary support and I don't think that will change in the future," said Downswell yesterday.
"What local coaches have to do is knock the door down with some high-quality performances, that's the only way you can get in," he said.
Downswell, who took over from the Sebastiao Lazaroni/Carl Brown failed World Cup attempt in November 2004, resigned, effective August 4.
History has shown that corporate Jamaica will not pump in the necessary funds in the local football programme unless an overseas coach is at the helm.
Search for overseas coach
Recently, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has been seeking an overseas coach and should soon announce who that will be.
Jamaican-born Englishman John Barnes seems to be leading the pack because of his cheaper asking price, rumoured to be US$1 million a year.
Former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson of Sweden was said to be asking for £3 million, with the option of coaching a European club simultaneously.
The latest name being mentioned is former Argentine coach Jose Pekerman, who recently resigned after his country was eliminated by Germany at the World Cup.
It is understood that former coach Carl Brown will be the interim coach for upcoming games against Canada (twice) and Peru.
Downswell, in the meantime, said he is willing to work in any capacity that the JFF sees fit.
"If the federation wants me to serve in whatever capacity, I am more than willing to do that. Separate and apart from that, I will analsye my situation and move forward," said Downswell.
Under his tenure, Jamaica won the Caribbean Digicel Cup, the Caribbean Under-15 championship, the women's Under-20 Caribbean championship but failed to qualify for the World Cup. The senior men's team reached the quarter-finals in the Gold Cup.
"From that perspective I feel good," said Downswell.
