KINGSTON-The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) says the Reggae Boyz' poor performance at the recent Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Cup in Antigua has been a setback to the country's football programme.
The defending champions were eliminated at the preliminary stage after losing to French Guiana and Cuba.
Jamaica only managed a point in a goalless draw with Martinique to finish at the bottom of the table. "Some will argue that Jamaica don't have the given right to win a competition or even to advance," said newly-appointed general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Raymond Grant.
"I guess one will agree that not advancing to the Concacaf Gold Cup, and by extension not advancing to the semifinals of the Caribbean Championship, has placed a dent in our programme and also eroded some of the confidence," Grant told the Jamaica Observer.
Jamaica's performance has been criticised in the country's media including charges that the team played the worst football in the eight-nation competition. JFF president Captain Horace Burrell has ordered a technical review into the team's performance in Antigua.
The technical and development committee is currently compiling a report to submit to Burrell for action. However, Burrell has publicly stated that head coach Theodore Whitmore's job was safe but hinted that action could be taken against others members of the technical staff.
"In the game of football, when results are not favourable, then the administrative and technical staff, along with the players, must work twice as hard to ensure that what is lost is rebuilt, and that's the process that we are going through now," said Grant.
"There's a need for a level of introspection by all and therefore the levels of meetings that we have been having over the last week or so are part of the process to ensure that we rebuild the confidence of players, staff and the wider public."
Cuba went on to win the championship by defeating T&T 1-0 in extra time at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground last week Sunday. CMC