JAMAICA VS. BARBADOS FRIENDLY THIS WEEKEND

Only one new player, 20-year old Lacon Brissett of Wadadah, has been selected by Technical Director Carl Brown in Jamaica’s 20-man squad to play Barbados in Bridgetown on Sunday. The squad will travel on Friday and return on Monday.

Goalkeepers: Aaron Lawrence, Donovan Ricketts

Defenders: Linval Dixon, Claude Davis, Damion Stewart, Tyrone Marshall, Craig Ziadie, Kirk Hendricks, Robert Scarlett, Oneil Dunn, Irvino English

Midfielders: Shane Crawford, Kasai Hinds, Andrew Williams, Milton Griffiths, Johnathan Williams

Forwards: Jermaine Anderson, Roen Nelson, Kevin Deerr, Lacon Brissett, Jamaica last played 20 November, drawing 0:0 with Nigeria in Lagos, just after qualifying in Group C in the Caribbean Zone preliminary round. Barbados just missed qualifying for the final round out of Group C play, suffering a heart-breaking 1:0 loss to Guadeloupe, giving up a penalty less than ten minutes from time.

Boyz kick off against St Lucia

JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz, the 1998 World Cup finalists, will host Group A of the Caribbean Zone Gold Cup qualifying semi-final round which will take place in late March, the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) announced.

The other countries which have been grouped with the 1998 World Cup qualifiers for one leg of the elimination series are Haiti, Martinique and St. Lucia.

Trinidad and Tobago, the region's number one ranked team, will entertain Cuba, Guadeloupe and Antigua & Barbuda in Group B.

Both series are set for March 26-30.

The Reggae Boyz, ranked second in the CFU, meet St. Lucia in their opening game on March 26, before facing Martinique on March 28.

The Jamaicans, two-time CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finalists, including a team best joint third with Costa Rica under coach Carl Brown in 1993, end the group fixtures on March 30 against Haiti, who share the number three spot in the CFU with Cuba.

T&T, CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finalists in 2000, face Antigua and Barbuda in their opening game on March 26, before tackling Guadeloupe two days later, and the CFU's joint third-ranked Cuba on March 30.

The group winners will automatically qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals in the United States in the summer, with the runners-up scheduled for play-off games against Central American opposition to get into the July 12-27 Gold Cup tournament.

Group A

March 26: Haiti v Martinique, Jamaica v St.Lucia

March 28: St.Lucia v Haiti, Martinique v Jamaica

March 30: St.Lucia v Martinique, Jamaica v Haiti

Group B

March 26: Guadeloupe v Cuba, T&T v Antigua & Barbuda

March 28: Cuba v Antigua & Barbuda, T&T v Guadeloupe

March 30: Antigua & Barbuda v Guadeloupe, T&T v Cuba.

JFF now a limited liability company

THE Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is now a Limited Liability Company.

This resolution, along with other constitutional changes, were passed by the general membership of the JFF at a special general meeting at the federation's offices on Sunday, according to its president, Captain Horace Burrell. It was done under the recommendation of the attorney general's department.

'The JFF now has a new constitution,' Burrell said. 'We have a situation where the JFF is now a Limited Liability Company by guarantee, and can now conduct business with other entities.,' he added, noting that 'the general membership has now endorsed the federation going in this direction.

'They have also endorsed a number of other changes such as... the practice of candidates being nominated on the floor at the election time..., the new position is that all candidates intending to vie for office must be nominated by at least three parish associations, who must also notify the general secretary at least 60 days before the congress.'

Other changes include the fiscal year now being aligned to the calendar year, as opposed to the previous April 1 to March 31.

Terms of office will now be on a four-year duration -- instead of every two years -- with annual general meetings, in accordance with the company act.

General meetings will be announced three months in advance and each parish will be allowed five delegates, whose names must be forwarded to the general secretary at least 14 days before the congress.

'Every four years you have an election meeting, but every year you have a meeting where one has to report to the congress,' Burrell explained.

The next congress for election of officers is scheduled for later this year and officers elected at this year's congress will serve four years to 2007.

TIME CHANGE FOR JAMAICA vs USA

The friendly international between Jamaica and the United States scheduled for February 12, will begin at a new time. Start time has been changed from 2.30 p.m to 7 p.m. The change in kick-off time is intended to attract more spectators to the game. The president of the Jamaica Football Federation, Captain Horace Burrel, said Jamaica will field its strongest eleven with a mix of overseas-based players and home-based players. The USA-Jamaica match will serve as the opening game for the newly renovated National Stadium.

USA gets ready!

January 4, 2003

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- The U.S. national soccer team worked out for the first time this year, preparing for exhibition games against Canada and Argentina that will test a young squad.

Coach Bruce Arena's team faces Canada on Jan. 18 in Fort Lauderdale and Argentina in Miami on Feb. 8. Qualifying play for the 2006 World Cup in Germany begins in 2004.

The roster for the Canada game could include 15 players with three games or fewer of international experience.

"One thing is for certain: We need to inject some new blood into our program,'' Arena said Saturday. We have a lot of good players that lack international experience. So that's the name of the game here in 2003.''

Two important tournaments follow this summer: the FIFA Confederations Cup in France in June and the CONCACAF Gold Cup the next month in the United States.

"Are we going to be talented enough and experienced enough to get it done,'' Arena said. ``That's the initial challenge in year 2003, to get our team ready for qualifications in 2004.''

Led by Landon Donovan and Brad Friedel, the Americans advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals last year. It was their best showing since the first tournament in 1930, when they made the semifinals.

Arena agreed to a four-year contract last month that will make him the longest-serving U.S. coach.

"My goal is to get to the next World Cup,'' he said. "I think it's a great achievement to make it to a World Cup. That's our starting point.''

Twenty-six players attended the first workouts, which continue through Jan. 16 at the IMG Academy.

"Everyone knows Bruce is not going to change his ways,'' midfielder Ben Olsen said. "He wins. He has a formula and it's worked. I think that's why he's so successful. He's consistent and guys know what he wants.''

BERMUDA TOPPLE JAMAICA UNDER-23s

A Bermuda national selection rallied to overcome a 1:0 deficit in the final 20 minutes to defeat the Jamaica Under-23 side on January 1 at the National Sports Centre in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Roland Dean opened the scoring for the young Reggae Boyz in the first half, giving them the 1:0 advantage they carried until the latter stages of the match. The hosts rallied in the second half, scoring the equalizer through a Clevon Hill header ten minutes before a Meshach Wade penalty in the 79th minute gave them the victory.

(Some stories courtesy of the JA Gleaner, JA Observer and CMC.)