Maxwell wants better mix

Former national senior men's team coach Geoffrey Maxwell feels that Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Captain Horace Burrell should look to rebuild football for the future by incorporating a balance of top overseas-based and local players.

According to Maxwell, the football programme should be given a failing grade following the Reggae Boyz's unceremonious exit from the CONCACAF World Cup qualification at the semi-final round stage after their 2-0 loss to Panama in Panama City on Friday night.

The result means that Jamaica's Reggae Boyz have again failed to book a place in the FIFA World Cup since their historic qualification for France in 1998.

Football style

Maxwell feels that Jamaica's football is not conducive to the current "European style of play and coaching", and that should be changed.

"Jamaicans are born and bred on the South American (football style) way. When European coaches come here, they win nothing," he lamented.

"Captain (Horace Burrell) does a fantastic job [being] in charge of the national programme, but the people that he has around him are not good enough. He should appoint coaches with track record," Maxwell said.

The much-travelled Maxwell is of the view that Jamaica should seek to use qualified coaches in Jamaica, noting that these coaches should "have a record, background and winning results".

"We need to question the teams that the overseas-based players play for. Where do these players stand and how do they help us?" he continued.

"Once a month, the best players from the local leagues should be called in and be tested in different areas, then look on the outside players and choose the best ones that we can't find here in Jamaica," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

Local players

He stressed that Jamaica needs a better system to test local players.

"Why do we have to wait to call up foreigners to come here, monthly or every two months? We should have coaching clinics to look at players to upgrade and downgrade, and select and recommend the best players," Maxwell pointed out.

Maxwell added that the JFF should send people knowledgeable about football and players to look at the overseas-based recruits.

"In my opinion, a lot of the players we have brought down are not better than those we have here. We now need to develop teams and make a calendar and know exactly each month what is going to happen and who we are going to prepare to play," he added.

The eliminated Reggae Boyz, on four points from five games and third in CONCACAF Group B, will play lowly Haiti (fourth in the group) at the National Stadium on Tuesday night at 8:30.