I BET YOU if the Reggae Boyz named at the weekend in the squad to tackle Mexico and Honduras in the October World Cup qualifying fixtures had been drafted for matches gone in this current group semi-final phase, Rene Simoes would have kept his job.

And there is absolutely no guarantee that this current crop of players selected by interim coach, Theodore Whitmore, would have put Jamaica in a better position had they been playing all along either. There are no guarantees that they would have won, or drawn any of the previous matches.

Simply, they would have made a better fit - giving the country its best chance of qualifying.

Give or take one or two players, which is normal in all selection procedures, they represent the best available Jamaican football talent due to the combined factors of class, quality and experience they have gained playing for this country, as well as the majority's daily existence on and off the field as professionals for clubs tied to leagues in the United States and Europe.

Quality and stature

World Cup qualifying is very serious and difficult business and calls for big-time experience, especially when challenging countries from Central America, which have real football culture - big players, long-time professional leagues and societies that feed, live and sleep off the game.

There was too much toying around with juvenile talent on the big stage, with players who hardly performed before 5,000 thrust before stadiums packed with nearly 30,000, 40,000 and 110,000. Clearly not the place for trials.

While it worked in Canada, who by their nature will either sit back or play over the top as they do not have the weapons or tactics to really cut open defences, the challenge was always going to be greater against Mexico and Honduras.

Mexico, at The Azteca, have always been a difficult challenge. Actually, Jamaica have never won there, coming closest in a 2-1 loss in 1996 on their successful road-to-France campaign.

The 3-0 loss earlier this month in The Azteca was actually one of the team's better results. But don't be fooled by the scoreline. The side was devoid of character, played total rubbish and looked very much out of place as it played a totally defensive game and could have been walloped heavier had the Mexicans been on target.

Jamaica could not compete in that game because they lacked depth in quality and stature.

Very few of the Boyz looked capable, excluding Ian 'Pepe' Goodison, the best player for the three-match away series, Rudolph Austin, Tyrone Marshall and Andy Williams, who looked so accomplished at keeping the ball, slowing the pace and unleashing a range of passes during the second half.

In terms of the squad named for the upcoming match, Williams, who has scored the only goal to date in the 1-1 Canada draw and who has come up trumps for Jamaica in the past, should have been recalled to this squad. There are two reasons - there exists a better complement of players and he stood out against Mexico, whom Jamaica face next in a must-win match.

The Boyz only have one point now and have three more matches. Honduras have six and Mexico nine.

The Honduras loss was even more crucial as it gave them breathing room, but even in that match, the lack of depth in quality and stature returned as a haunting factor when Jermaine Taylor was seriously injured right at the half and had to be replaced.

The team started the game with a new format, had been understanding it more, only for an untimely injury to Taylor.

It came at a crucial point, with the game goalless. It was also the turning point.

Commanding great respect

Marshall, who was commanding great respect while driving forward as well as holding the team together from central midfield, was pulled back to fill in for Taylor and Austin, finally given room to roam forward, was pulled back to central, all because the team never had a central defender on the bench, or for that matter in the squad.

There's plenty now, with Claude Davis and the Stewart brothers, Damion and Demar, called up.

Luton Shelton played a lone attacking striker's role, not only holding up the ball but posing a danger in attack, a role that Ricardo Fuller and the pacy Omar Cummings and Dane Richards are also capable of handling.

Jamaica almost scored twice against Honduras off final passes made by Jermaine Hue, when captain Ricardo Gardner cracked a shot against the crossbar; and Fuller crashed a shot against the 'keeper. Hue only played for 15 minutes and that type of incisive passing certainly merited a longer run. Unfortunately, he can only watch, like Williams, who's capable of doing the same.

Jermaine Johnson, Omar Daley and Jamal Campbell-Ryce are full of pace and can be quite incisive. They, too, will add beef to what really should have been the real squad of Reggae Boyz battling through these difficult qualifiers.

No one can really say whether they would have won, drawn or lost but at least, there would have been that itsy-bitsy consolation that at least Jamaica gave their best shot by trying with close to, if not, their best team.

Bet you if that was the case, Simoes would still have been coach of the Boyz.