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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Patience pays off for senior debutant Whittaker</SPAN>
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>Nothing in life, they say, happens before its time. And while that might be true, oftentimes those with the experience feel like victims. Just ask Allien Whittaker, who makes his senior team debut for the Reggae Boyz in today's final of the Lunar New Year Cup here in Hong Kong.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=120 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>WHITTAKER... I was longing for this opportunity </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Whittaker, 23, played a pivotal role in helping Jamaica to its first Under-17 World Cup Final appearance in New Zealand in 1999, and two years later, he was at it again, guiding the young Reggae Boyz to the Under-20 World Cup Finals in Argentina.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Though Jamaica were eliminated from the preliminary round, Whittaker, according to FIFA's technical committee, was voted the best goalkeeper of the tournament, despite his defence being beaten five times by a rampant Argentina, who eventually ran out easy winners of the championships.
But despite all the achievements and accolades, Whittaker was never given a chance at the senior level, until new technical director Bora Milutinovic came on the scene.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"I am surprised to an extent," Whittaker told the Observer in an exclusive interview yesterday, moments after learning that he would replace Richard McCallum in goal today.
"I am overwhelmed. I am very much longing for this opportunity, but I feel a bit tentative because I have been out for a while... nonetheless, I am looking forward to the challenge."<P class=StoryText align=justify>Whittaker last represented the Reggae Boyz in an Under-23 tournament against Guatemala in that country four years ago under the guidance of the late Peter Cargill.
Now he has "mixed feelings" about those exploits at the youth level.
"I thought that would have boosted my career at the time, but I was overlooked."<P class=StoryText align=justify>He explained that he understood the challenges at the time, with quality goalkeepers such as his idol Aaron Lawrence, along with Donovan Ricketts, who now plies his trade in the English League with Bradford City.
"... but even then, I thought the coaches would have shown more faith in the younger players," he said.
According to Whittaker, with all of those setbacks he wasn't really worried, because he respected the players ahead of him at the time.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Still, I was discouraged because I thought enough was not being done to keep me involved in the game at the highest level," he said.
Sometimes during a disaster one has to hit rock bottom before one can rebound, and that seemed to be what happened to Whittaker in 2002 while representing Rivoli United in the National Premier League.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Rivoli were one of three clubs he represented in the league, the others being Hazard (now Portmore United) and Village United.
He was playing a game against Seba at Jarrett Park when he landed badly on his right leg. He damaged the knee then, but continued playing for a few more games.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The result was that he had to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus, which kept him out of action for a year.
That episode was like "an eye opener", he said. "After picking up an injury like that and receiving very little financial help, I lost hope and focus for the game," he noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>During the difficult period of recovery
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>Nothing in life, they say, happens before its time. And while that might be true, oftentimes those with the experience feel like victims. Just ask Allien Whittaker, who makes his senior team debut for the Reggae Boyz in today's final of the Lunar New Year Cup here in Hong Kong.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=120 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>WHITTAKER... I was longing for this opportunity </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Whittaker, 23, played a pivotal role in helping Jamaica to its first Under-17 World Cup Final appearance in New Zealand in 1999, and two years later, he was at it again, guiding the young Reggae Boyz to the Under-20 World Cup Finals in Argentina.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Though Jamaica were eliminated from the preliminary round, Whittaker, according to FIFA's technical committee, was voted the best goalkeeper of the tournament, despite his defence being beaten five times by a rampant Argentina, who eventually ran out easy winners of the championships.But despite all the achievements and accolades, Whittaker was never given a chance at the senior level, until new technical director Bora Milutinovic came on the scene.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"I am surprised to an extent," Whittaker told the Observer in an exclusive interview yesterday, moments after learning that he would replace Richard McCallum in goal today.
"I am overwhelmed. I am very much longing for this opportunity, but I feel a bit tentative because I have been out for a while... nonetheless, I am looking forward to the challenge."<P class=StoryText align=justify>Whittaker last represented the Reggae Boyz in an Under-23 tournament against Guatemala in that country four years ago under the guidance of the late Peter Cargill.
Now he has "mixed feelings" about those exploits at the youth level.
"I thought that would have boosted my career at the time, but I was overlooked."<P class=StoryText align=justify>He explained that he understood the challenges at the time, with quality goalkeepers such as his idol Aaron Lawrence, along with Donovan Ricketts, who now plies his trade in the English League with Bradford City.
"... but even then, I thought the coaches would have shown more faith in the younger players," he said.
According to Whittaker, with all of those setbacks he wasn't really worried, because he respected the players ahead of him at the time.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Still, I was discouraged because I thought enough was not being done to keep me involved in the game at the highest level," he said.
Sometimes during a disaster one has to hit rock bottom before one can rebound, and that seemed to be what happened to Whittaker in 2002 while representing Rivoli United in the National Premier League.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Rivoli were one of three clubs he represented in the league, the others being Hazard (now Portmore United) and Village United.
He was playing a game against Seba at Jarrett Park when he landed badly on his right leg. He damaged the knee then, but continued playing for a few more games.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The result was that he had to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus, which kept him out of action for a year.
That episode was like "an eye opener", he said. "After picking up an injury like that and receiving very little financial help, I lost hope and focus for the game," he noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>During the difficult period of recovery
woooeeee, it gets better everyday LOL :P
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