Jamaica confident despite changes
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Three changes have been forced on Jamaica because of injuries and unavailability but coach Carl Brown is still confident they will get the win they desperately need against Bermuda tomorrow to remain contenders in this World Cup qualifying group.
Speaking from the team's camp in the mid-country town of Mandeville, which is some 55 miles from Kingston, Brown expressed confidence that the players he will choose to replace suspended captain Anthony Corbett and midfielder Winston Anglin -- both to serve one-match ban because of second bookings -- and the unavailable Peter Cargill, will do the job. All three players played in Bermuda recently when the teams drew 1-1.
"I believe from what we saw in Bermuda we still expect Bermuda to be very tough,'' said Brown who will bring his team to Kingston today.
He feels that the harder surface and less grass at the National Stadium here will favour his team.
"It's very important for us to win this game and we will be flinging some more players offensively. We are looking to play with three men up front.'' With two matches still to come against El Salvador, who Brown like Bermuda coach Gary Darrell still thinks are the best team in the group, Jamaica know of the tough road ahead in their last three matches.
"We believe if we have a chance to qualify we will have to win our two home games,'' said Brown who has set his team a target of five points from their final three matches. That means getting at least a draw in El Salvador, but Brown feels his players will rise to the challenge.
"El Salvador is still going to be the team to beat and if we can beat them here I think we have a good chance,'' Brown explained.
"I still believe they are the best them in the group. I think El Salvador are going to be tough though I don't think there is a great difference between any of the teams. I was surprised El Salvador beat Bermuda by such a large margin.'' The Jamaicans have been in Mandeville since returning from Canada and Brown said it served the purpose of keeping them from distractions.
"That was something that caused us our game in Canada,'' the coach revealed.
"Players were there visiting friends and families and Canada seemed to want to win more than us. I believe we were the better team but we didn't play as well as in our last two games.'' Brown expects El Salvador to beat Canada in Canada this weekend and arrive in Jamaica for the November 22 fixture with five points.
The country that gave the English game John Barnes and Luther Blissett has been struggling because of finances to have its best players available.
Cargill is one example. He is gone back to Israel because Jamaica were not able to meet his club's financial obligations.
"We could have Peter for two games, but after that there is a problem,'' said Brown. "There are obligations that have to be met, there are players we can't get because of their financial position. You are talking the US dollar that is worth 22 Jamaican dollars and that's where the problem lies.'' The officials for tomorrow's game, which starts at 5 p.m. Bermuda time, are from Costa Rica.
REPRIEVE -- Bermuda's Paul Cann will not have to deal with Peter Cargill tomorrow as the Jamaican professional has returned to Israel.
