‘Long overdue’
Whittaker backs young Reggae Boyz to qualify for U20 World Cup
Published:Friday | July 12, 2024 | 12:10 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
FORMER NATIONAL representative Allien Whittaker is backing the under-20 Reggae Boyz to safely navigate their way through the Conacaf U20 Champinships in Mexico next week and book a spot to next year’s FIFA under-20 World Cup.
“The chances of us coming out of the group is as good as any of the other teams. However, this could come down to how well preparations went and the mood, fighting spirit within the camp. The key component is to not lose the opening game, because, if you do, then you’ll have to play catch up,” he stated.
The Reggae Boyz are drawn in Group A of the championship alongside the trio of Costa Rica, Cuba and the United States. The top two teams plus the two best third-place teams will qualify for the quarter-final of the competition. The four quarter-final winners will punch tickets to next year’s World Cup to be hosted in Chile.
Jamaica play their first game against the United States on July 19 at the Estadio Miguel Alemán Valdés in Celaya, Guanajuato.
The last time Jamaica featured at the under-20 FIFA World Cup was in 2001, with Whittaker a standout performer between the sticks for the then Wendell Downswell-coached team.
According to the former shot blocker, with the talent on local soil, the Reggae Boyz’ World Cup drought should not have exceeded two decades.
“It’s been long overdue. Based on what I see in schoolboy football and the level of talent that is there, maybe we’re doing something very wrong. If you look at Cavalier, with their youth system and how they perform in the Jamaica Premier League, then you realise that we’re doing something wrong with the national teams. We should have at least, during that 23-year gap, gone to one or two youth World Cups,” said Whittaker.
Whittaker further explained that while he’s pleased with the football at this level, more could be done to improve. He added that the hosting of more parish competitions will assist in developing more players to choose from.
“I’m pleased, but not satisfied. We could be far more advanced because, during my time, a lot of marquee competitions were played. The under-17 competition that the JFF put on, I think that should be played across parishes rather than clubs. The parish competition would allow you to have a broader pool to choose from. We also need to see more football being played in the summer, especially at the under-12 and 13 levels.”