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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Bora yet to join U-20 team in Mexico</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Andrew Hancel
Sunday, February 25, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>IT still remains uncertain if national football techincal director Bora Milutinovic is here in Mexico following a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) press release that the Serbian coach was en route to the Mexican city of Culiacan, where the Under-20 team is competing in the Group B CONCACAF Qualifiers.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=120 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Milutinovic. I am the coach of the senior team and the coach of the senior team is normally to be with the senior team </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Head of the JFF delegation here, president Crenston Boxhill, told the Sunday Observer he is yet to hear from Milutinovic, who was said to be arriving for the Jamaica/Mexico match on Friday night.
"I haven't gotten any word from him," said Boxhill. "I was told yesterday (Friday) by the office that he was on his way to Mexico," the president added.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The JFF and Milutinovic, who is the only man in history to coach five countries at the quadrennial FIFA World Cup Finals, have been heavily criticised by critics, who argue that Bora should have travelled to the Under-20 World Cup qualifiers here in Mexico than lead the mixed Under-23s in the Lunar New Year Cup in Hong Kong.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In responding to the question raised, the technical director, who is also a Mexican citizen, said upon ariving at the Norman Manley International Airport on Thursday night: "I am the coach of the senior team and the coach of the senior team is normally to be with the senior team. This team is the senior team and they need proper preparation. If it is possible to be in two places at the same time, I would be so happy, but it is impossible...
"Which one is more important? It would be the Lunar Cup for me. Why, simply because we needed to prepare the team, we needed to start playing, so this is more important."<P class=StoryText align=justify>A day after arriving in Jamaica with the Lunar New Year Cup, which the Boyz won after beating the Chinese Olympic team 5-4 on penalties, Bora left for Mexico to join the rest of the Under-20 team delegation, according to a JFF media release sent out on Thursday.<P class=StoryText align=justify>However, up until 2:00 pm (4:00 pm local time) in Culiacan, Bora was yet to be seen, and the team is already out of the running for the youth World Cup to be played in Canada, after going down 2-0 to the hosts, having lost by the same margin to Costa Rica in their opening match Wednesday night.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Nonetheless, Boxhill is optimistic.
"...So I would figure that if he's on his way to Mexico, chances are, yes, we'll see him before we leave," said Boxhill yesterday inside the Hotel Executivo, the team's hotel.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica play their final match of the tournament tonight against Caribbean neighbours St Kitts & Nevis at the Banorte Stadium before returning home tomorrow night.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Andrew Hancel
Sunday, February 25, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>IT still remains uncertain if national football techincal director Bora Milutinovic is here in Mexico following a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) press release that the Serbian coach was en route to the Mexican city of Culiacan, where the Under-20 team is competing in the Group B CONCACAF Qualifiers.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=120 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Milutinovic. I am the coach of the senior team and the coach of the senior team is normally to be with the senior team </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Head of the JFF delegation here, president Crenston Boxhill, told the Sunday Observer he is yet to hear from Milutinovic, who was said to be arriving for the Jamaica/Mexico match on Friday night."I haven't gotten any word from him," said Boxhill. "I was told yesterday (Friday) by the office that he was on his way to Mexico," the president added.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The JFF and Milutinovic, who is the only man in history to coach five countries at the quadrennial FIFA World Cup Finals, have been heavily criticised by critics, who argue that Bora should have travelled to the Under-20 World Cup qualifiers here in Mexico than lead the mixed Under-23s in the Lunar New Year Cup in Hong Kong.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In responding to the question raised, the technical director, who is also a Mexican citizen, said upon ariving at the Norman Manley International Airport on Thursday night: "I am the coach of the senior team and the coach of the senior team is normally to be with the senior team. This team is the senior team and they need proper preparation. If it is possible to be in two places at the same time, I would be so happy, but it is impossible...
"Which one is more important? It would be the Lunar Cup for me. Why, simply because we needed to prepare the team, we needed to start playing, so this is more important."<P class=StoryText align=justify>A day after arriving in Jamaica with the Lunar New Year Cup, which the Boyz won after beating the Chinese Olympic team 5-4 on penalties, Bora left for Mexico to join the rest of the Under-20 team delegation, according to a JFF media release sent out on Thursday.<P class=StoryText align=justify>However, up until 2:00 pm (4:00 pm local time) in Culiacan, Bora was yet to be seen, and the team is already out of the running for the youth World Cup to be played in Canada, after going down 2-0 to the hosts, having lost by the same margin to Costa Rica in their opening match Wednesday night.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Nonetheless, Boxhill is optimistic.
"...So I would figure that if he's on his way to Mexico, chances are, yes, we'll see him before we leave," said Boxhill yesterday inside the Hotel Executivo, the team's hotel.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica play their final match of the tournament tonight against Caribbean neighbours St Kitts & Nevis at the Banorte Stadium before returning home tomorrow night.