Tappa recalls The Maestro to replace Austin

[Mosiah]

Oh yes they can! What do you think just happened why King isn't here?

[Robnya]

Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore is confident his side can overcome Millwall on Saturday despite having defender Ian Goodison missing for the clash.

Goodison will be absent due to his call-up to the Jamaica squad for their World Cup qualifier against Mexico on October 11.

However, Moore remembers the last time the 34-year-old missed their league campaign through international commitments, Rovers were defeated five times, drew one, and won one with no clean sheets and the boss is keen for that not to happen again.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "I want to see us put the Goodison issue to bed and hopefully we can do that on Saturday.

"We won one in the Johnstones Paint Trophy without him this season and there is no reason why we can't do it in the league.

"We are not panicking about what we are going to do because we have a number of options. But we will have to work on the shape of the back four this week so we can build a good understanding."

[Reggae-Fan]

King will be back as long as he is invited and he wants to play (which I am sure he does). Clubs cant prevent their players from playing for their countries in world cup qualifying games.

[Twan]

If we win Wednesday, he will be back for sure...just watch !!

[Mosiah]

If his Hull coach so desires.

[Reggae-Fan]

King will be back for The Canada game.

[Time]

Yellow cards = Yellow fever

Jerry against England's Gerrard





Tuesday, October 14, 2008


Reggae Boyz interim head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore declared that his team is more famished for a victory against Honduras when both meet in a high stakes CONCACAF Semi-Final Round World Cup Qualifier at the National Stadium tomorrow at 7:00 pm.

Jamaica, with a paltry four points from as many games, must defeat the high-flying Central American outfit if they cherish the thought of advancing from their tough Group B to the final Group of Six which will be contested next year.

Honduras, leaders of the group with nine points after blowing away Canada 3-1 on Saturday, are eager for a win which would propel them to the next stage of the qualifying play-offs, so it is expected that they will be fully fired up for Wednesday's contest. But not as fired up as the Boyz, according Whitmore's tone on the telephone yesterday.

"Although they want to win, I don't think the Honduras team is as hungry as us because we need this win more than they do and we will show that," said the former Jamaica standout.

"Honduras are on the verge of qualifying and they would want to do it here, but we definitely need these three points," Whitmore added.

In looking back at the Boyz's life-saving 1-0 win over CONCACAF kingpins Mexico on Saturday which pumped oxygen back into Jamaica's wilting South Africa 2010 World Cup campaign, Whitmore noted that he expects Honduras to be a tougher opponent.

The two-goal hero in a 2-1 win for Jamaica against Japan in the France 1998 World Cup Finals, Whitmore vowed that the people of Jamaica can rest assured that the home team will be stronger and better for tomorrow's encounter.

Jamaica must not only defeat Honduras, but Canada here in Kingston on November 19 if they hope to progress in these qualifiers.

Meanwhile, there was disquiet in some quarters when it was realised that Norway-based midfielder, Rudolf Austin, would miss tomorrow's game due to yellow-card suspension, but Whitmore was quick to find his replacement when he summoned Harbour View's dashing midfielder, Jermaine Hue.

Whitmore also considered veteran Andy Williams for the job, but said it would not be practical to bring in the US-based player at this time.
"To organise a flight for Andy Williams to come at this late time would be more difficult. Jermaine Hue is already here and waiting, so that is why I decided to call him," he said.

Whitmore, on his second stint as interim coach after guiding the Boyz to victory in two friendlies against El Salvador (3-0) and Guatemala (2-0), conceded that Austin's presence in the team will be missed, but he is more focused on finding the most suitable plan going into battle.

"This (Austin) is a great loss for us, but this means that we will have to now sit and see how best we can work a way out, because at the end of the day we want these three points and nothing else," he noted.

Whitmore, who was an assistant to the sacked Brazilian Rene Simoes, said
at the end of the two remaining training sessions before the game, he would have his plan worked out.

"There are a few things that we have to look at this (yesterday) evening at the training session before we can make a final decision. We still have another training session (tomorrow), so I just want to go out on the pitch and get the team functioning in areas where we need to work on and then we will take it from there," he noted.

Austin picked up both his yellow cards against Mexico - firstly in the 30th minute at the Azteca last month and in the 62nd minute on Saturday.

Hue, Austin's replacement, was a member of the squad for Jamaica's first three Semi-Final Round Qualifiers after receiving a late call-up by Simoes. But like Williams, Hue was not selected by Whitmore as preparation mounted for the return legs of Mexico and Honduras fixtures.

Hue played in the Boyz's 1-1 draw with Canada in Toronto in August as a 90-plus-minute sub, stayed on the bench in the team's 0-3 defeat to Mexico in Mexico City, but came off the bench in the 55th-minute in the 0-2 loss to Honduras in San Pedro Sula last month.

How many men carrying yellow cards? I am comcerned that we will have to use the B team for the fiinal match against Canada.

Fuller carrying one card and King draw sick card...Ww better start planning Thursday morning for the final game.

[Sir X]

Ease off (RF), who is we ? Jamaica knows what you are just discovering, he is the best attacking midfielder we have.

The fact that we can play without him , does not discount the fact that he is our best.

[Sir X]

I will say it again , Tappa is impressive as a coach , very impressive.It can only get better.

We need 2 Strikers. King is AWOL , Bennet is in Africa and Onandi isnt match fit.

[Mosiah]

I hope for his sake he puts ona good show.

That's the kind of pressure he has to deal with all the time. Other players can screw up over and over again, because they know they'll be back next time. Not so for Maestro. Even when he doesn't mess up, he is not called for the next match.

My advice to him - to hell with everybody!

[Farmah]

Bwoy ReggaeFan, I couldn't have said it any better!

[Reggae-Fan]

Its time we ease of Jermain Hue and give the youth a chance. And the fact that he is called up to replace Austin doesnt neccesarily mean that he will be playing the role Austin played, someone else will play that role. Whitmore himself was never known for his defensive prowess or his lightning quick speed or his defensive qualities during his playing days, yet he was perhaps Jamaica's best midfielder over the past decade. Hue opens up our offensive game with his defense splitting passes, free kicks, and thunderous shots from outside the area.

I hope for his sake he puts ona good show.

[Raggs]

he call up dat 'slow train' hue for the' power horse' austin?

[Farmah]

Jerry against England's Gerrard





Tuesday, October 14, 2008


Reggae Boyz interim head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore declared that his team is more famished for a victory against Honduras when both meet in a high stakes CONCACAF Semi-Final Round World Cup Qualifier at the National Stadium tomorrow at 7:00 pm.

Jamaica, with a paltry four points from as many games, must defeat the high-flying Central American outfit if they cherish the thought of advancing from their tough Group B to the final Group of Six which will be contested next year.

Honduras, leaders of the group with nine points after blowing away Canada 3-1 on Saturday, are eager for a win which would propel them to the next stage of the qualifying play-offs, so it is expected that they will be fully fired up for Wednesday's contest. But not as fired up as the Boyz, according Whitmore's tone on the telephone yesterday.

"Although they want to win, I don't think the Honduras team is as hungry as us because we need this win more than they do and we will show that," said the former Jamaica standout.

"Honduras are on the verge of qualifying and they would want to do it here, but we definitely need these three points," Whitmore added.

In looking back at the Boyz's life-saving 1-0 win over CONCACAF kingpins Mexico on Saturday which pumped oxygen back into Jamaica's wilting South Africa 2010 World Cup campaign, Whitmore noted that he expects Honduras to be a tougher opponent.

The two-goal hero in a 2-1 win for Jamaica against Japan in the France 1998 World Cup Finals, Whitmore vowed that the people of Jamaica can rest assured that the home team will be stronger and better for tomorrow's encounter.

Jamaica must not only defeat Honduras, but Canada here in Kingston on November 19 if they hope to progress in these qualifiers.

Meanwhile, there was disquiet in some quarters when it was realised that Norway-based midfielder, Rudolf Austin, would miss tomorrow's game due to yellow-card suspension, but Whitmore was quick to find his replacement when he summoned Harbour View's dashing midfielder, Jermaine Hue.

Whitmore also considered veteran Andy Williams for the job, but said it would not be practical to bring in the US-based player at this time.
"To organise a flight for Andy Williams to come at this late time would be more difficult. Jermaine Hue is already here and waiting, so that is why I decided to call him," he said.

Whitmore, on his second stint as interim coach after guiding the Boyz to victory in two friendlies against El Salvador (3-0) and Guatemala (2-0), conceded that Austin's presence in the team will be missed, but he is more focused on finding the most suitable plan going into battle.

"This (Austin) is a great loss for us, but this means that we will have to now sit and see how best we can work a way out, because at the end of the day we want these three points and nothing else," he noted.

Whitmore, who was an assistant to the sacked Brazilian Rene Simoes, said
at the end of the two remaining training sessions before the game, he would have his plan worked out.

"There are a few things that we have to look at this (yesterday) evening at the training session before we can make a final decision. We still have another training session (tomorrow), so I just want to go out on the pitch and get the team functioning in areas where we need to work on and then we will take it from there," he noted.

Austin picked up both his yellow cards against Mexico - firstly in the 30th minute at the Azteca last month and in the 62nd minute on Saturday.

Hue, Austin's replacement, was a member of the squad for Jamaica's first three Semi-Final Round Qualifiers after receiving a late call-up by Simoes. But like Williams, Hue was not selected by Whitmore as preparation mounted for the return legs of Mexico and Honduras fixtures.

Hue played in the Boyz's 1-1 draw with Canada in Toronto in August as a 90-plus-minute sub, stayed on the bench in the team's 0-3 defeat to Mexico in Mexico City, but came off the bench in the 55th-minute in the 0-2 loss to Honduras in San Pedro Sula last month.