The Cayman Islands gave Jamaica a big surprise in their friendly last week, despite losing 2-0.
Cayman have improved significantly, which is why they have jumped 30 places up the FIFA ranking this year.
In the past, Cayman were considerted a walk over in competitions friendly or otherwise, however, since technical director Carl Brown came on board the situation has changed.
Under normal circumstances the Cayman Islands would have been beaten by a wider margin but the hosts stood up to the task and fought back with dignity. They made a statement to the Caribbean giants that will last for a long time.
The match was arranged by Cayman Islands Football Association president Jeffrey Webb. New head coach John Barnes was impressed as was the rest of the Jamaican delegation.
According to Adrian Gregory, a Jamaican patron who watched the game: ‘Trust me I was shocked to see how these Cayman players put their passes together, the back line was solid. Imagine the Reggae Boyz scoring their first goal in the 41st minute against Cayman, they have really come a long way.
‘If the football association gets the help to pay the players to train and play football they will become professionals and before long Cayman will be on top and other countries will think twice when facing them.
‘Carl Brown is doing a great job but players cannot work and train hard at the same time.
‘Give the players some money and let them train together as a team that’s the way to go. It happens all over the world. Football is the biggest sport, Cayman needs to get a piece of the action now. The players are proving to us that it can happen all they need is the help,’
Brown, a former Jamaica international defender who captained the side many times and coached them five times, said: ‘Cayman did well. We wanted to use this Jamaica game to measure where we were and where we have reached. The team played regimented, restricting the free flow of the ball by the Jamaican team and were accredited for their performance.
‘The players have learnt a lot of things from Jamaica that will enable the unit to compete with the best of the teams from around the Caribbean region.
‘At this stage we just need to continue playing more international games at least once per month to improve the standard of performance of the team.
‘I hope we will get more games in the future this is the only way forward in improving our international ratings.’
Peter Reid head of delegation for the visiting team said that the Cayman national team was a promising unit that had pace and played with their hearts adding that they just need to improve their skills and move to the professional level.
Reid said: ‘Jeffrey Webb and his executive members are well organized he is doing well as head of the football association. The team needs to take a professional approach towards the sports.
‘These players have the heart to play good football all they need is this kind of improvement and the sky will be the limit for the island.’
Plans are underway for the staging of a game between the Cayman Islands and Grenada on their way to Jamaica for the finals of the Digicel Caribbean Championship in December.
This will be played at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex if all falls in place.
For further information on football games please contact the CIFA office at 949-5775 or email [email protected] or [email protected]
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