Capt Burrell upbeat despite Panama stalemate
JAMAICA’S football boss Captain Horace Burrell was in a mixed mood after the Reggae Boyz’s 0-0 draw away to Panama on Friday night.
The JFF president was buoyed by the positive football the team played, which was marked by tactical discipline despite playing a man short for nearly 30 minutes.
“I must say that I was pleased with the way the team played, especially in the back… the Panamanians threatened us throughout the match, but our defenders repelled the danger and we kept a clean sheet.
“But at the same time we desperately needed a win to put our campaign back on wheels and we didn’t get it, so I was disappointed that we didn’t score goals because that’s the only way you win football matches,” said Captain Burrell.
He said with the strike force in the team with Marlon King and Jamaica’s all-time scorer Luton Shelton, he was expecting goals.
“With the quality players we have, I was expecting that we would be going home with three points in the bag. But I was lifted by the way the team played, which gives me confidence that Costa Rica, the team of the tournament, is in for a rude awakening on Tuesday inside the National Stadium,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
Captain Burrell, also a CONCACAF vice-president, said he would like to thank the Jamaicans who travelled on the charter to Panama, noting that it exhibited a spirit of patriotism and love for the country’s football.
“It was heartening to have those folks travelling on the team plane… they got an opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with the players and getting to know them better. After all, the team belongs to the people of Jamaica and we are here to serve them.
“The fans showed their appreciation for what we are trying to accomplish here for them and the entire country, by digging into their pockets to pay their way to Panama and cheer on the Boyz… and it must not be taken lightly the impact of such a gesture, as it helps the players to know that they have people rooting for them in a hostile environment,” Captain Burrell said.
Turning to Tuesday’s crucial match, the football executive urged all of Jamaica to do like their compatriots who journeyed to Panama, and come out and support the team against Costa Rica.
“We need you the people of Jamaica to fill the stadium on Tuesday night and show that you love your team and you want to see them succeed. Their success is Jamaica’s success, so by coming to the stadium, this would be your way of showing that you want the best for Jamaica, land we all love,” noted the JFF boss.
With only a flicker of a chance left for Jamaica to qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup Finals, as they sit at the bottom of the six-nation play-offs with three points from seven matches, Captain Burrell remains optimistic that victory is on the way and the Boyz will “achieve the improbable”.
“I know it looks bleak based on where we are in the standing, but we have faith and belief in the players and coach Schafer (Winfried), and I know they believe in themselves. You and I know the true spirit of Jamaicans, and when that spirit has a purpose, nothing can stop us,” stated the former army man.
With three matches to go, Costa Rica lead the standing on 14 points, ahead of the USA on 13, Honduras 10, Mexico eight, Panama seven, and Jamaica trail with three.
Only the three top finishers will gain automatic qualification for the Brazil World Cup Finals, with the fourth-placed team scheduled for an inter-continental play-off against the champion of Oceania for the possibility of an addition CONCACAF spot.