NATIONAL head coach Winifried Schäefer said cooperation among all stakeholders will be crucial to the success of Jamaica’s overall football product, pointing to a more nationalistic approach.

The German noted that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) coaches, administrators, sponsors and other partners must sit together to chart a course that will ultimately end in the upliftment of Jamaica’s football landscape.

“I think all coaches and businesses need to cooperate. We need to talk together (to see) what can we do to have better football in Jamaica,” he said, as he addressed the Jamaica Observer Sports Club at the tabloid’s headquarters recently.

Schäefer stressed the importance of sponsorship, and such is his eagerness to get the ball rolling in that area, that he has sought help in his native country.

“I want to bring Jamaican football (to the top) but we need money… we need sponsors.

“I have been talking to some people back in Germany, but we need (to start) from Jamaica, we need to change the way we play football and then we might see many sponsors.

If our football go up, then the support will go up,” said the experienced tactician. Schäefer, who has agreed in principle to a new fouryear arrangement as head coach of the senior programme, argued that critical to the process, as well, will be the roles of local leagues and coaches.

“I want help for Jamaican football. For four months I thought we needed a meeting with all clubs, with all coaches and I want to tell the coaches that when you build a good national team, it all goes back to the clubs.

The coaches and the clubs make national players, not the (national) coach,” Schäefer said.

Another idea of his is to have a forum where most, if not all, coaches sit with him and talk about players. Schäefer, who led Cameroon to the African Cup of Nations title back in 2002, outlined that despite the drawbacks, he believes football has grown in Jamaica. “The base is in the youth.

Our youth talent is the future in Jamaica. Jamaica is a very proud and beautiful country, but for football we need more — better fields, more training, the best coaches, then we can go forward,” he ended.

— Sherdon Cowan