Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sports

Simoes - photo by LeVaughn Flynn

Mexico City, Mexico:

BLAME ME. That's the position of Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) technical director René Simoes, following the 3-0 loss suffered by the Reggae Boyz, in their Group Two CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against Mexico at The Azteca Stadium here on Saturday night.

Andres Guardado (2nd), Fernando Arce (33rd) and Jonny Magallon (63rd) scored the goals against a defensive-minded Jamaican team that could have conceded more goals.

Jamaica went close to scoring once, off an angled shot from midfield stand-out Rudolph Austin, that forced a save from Mexican custodian Oswaldo Sanchez in the second half.

"I think for this game I will have to take responsibility because what we planned didn't work because our plan was to arrive here yesterday (Friday) have a practice, but everything went against us," Simoes told reporters after the loss, the team's seventh in as many matches against Mexico at The Azteca.

No rest

"We didn't have a chance to go to the stadium, we couldn't rest, so we don't have to blame the players, I am to be blamed," he asserted.

The Jamaicans, who left in two batches with all but two players and the coaches jetting off in the first around 7a.m., had planned to arrive in Mexico City on Friday afternoon, get some rest, then do some stretching in a very light workout at The Azteca. However, their flight was delayed out of Kingston and the team missed the connection in Miami that would have ensured such timing.

Still, Simoes said they should have projected arriving in Mexico earlier, at least two days before, to get sufficient rest.

"I did the programme and unfortunately it didn't work. We came here very late. I am tired, so imagine the players if I am tired."

The long-time coach who guided the Boyz in a historic World Cup qualifying campaign in his first tour of duty in Jamaica, for the France 1998 finals, reasoned his players never had enough energy to compete in a manner reflecting their standards.

Totally different team

"From my experience, when you don't have at least 48 hours to settle down and practice and rest and give your brain time to rest - you could see it was a totally different team from the one which played against Canada," he assessed, making a comparison to the team's 1-1 finish in Toronto in their first semi-final group phase qualifier on August 20.

"I thought there was no reaction from the team, so it wouldn't be fair to blame the players. I should have come here at least 48 hours before the game.

"The performance of some of the players today was awful, but against Honduras it will be different," he promised.

"I told the players to be cool and let's learn from our mistakes and correct them against Honduras," he added, pointing to Wednesday's crucial game in San Pedro Sula.

The team left Mexico City yesterday morning and arrived in Honduras three days ahead of the fixture.

They were hoping not to experience a similar bombardment as happened on their arrival in Mexico, when a large group of journalists, nearly 100 according to Simoes, met the team in an "aggressive" fashion inside the airport.

Simoes said the experience was unpleasant as the journalists bombarded the team, with goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts getting "kicked" in the process. He also said he only granted one interview, on the step of the team bus, to express his disapproval of the aggressive behaviour of the media practitioners.

"When you don't do things right, everything works against you. At this level of football, you have to get rest, be alert and be mentally prepared, and today we were not and we paid the price," he noted of what he considered causative effects from general off-planning.

Situation beyond recall

Queried about tactical and technical decisions regarding the exclusion of experienced defender Shavar Thomas from the squad, the decision to replace teenage central midfielder Evan Taylor, who appeared lost, with youthful Keneil Moodie at a similar position, instead of a more experienced attacker in a big atmosphere game before 110,000 cheering home spectators, with the team trailing 0-2, Simoes said the situation was beyond recall.

"We couldn't put three passes together; we were completely out of the game. You've to realise we were completely outplayed.

"Today, if you look, we had six players you could have pulled out of the game. But I hope the players don't kick themselves - let us relax, go to Honduras and get a good result."