Jamaica’s Head Coach Schäfer Suspended
Under-fire German misses Reggae Boyz’ home game
Winfried Schäfer’s disastrous 2018 World Cup campaign as head coach of Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz has ended prematurely. The German, who has tasted a torrid time during the World Cup qualifiers, has been suspended by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and so misses tonight’s tie in Kingston against Haiti (8.30pm Jamaican time).
The JFF issued a statement that read:
“Following on a formal complaint and expression of concern from the PAJ and the RJR Group regarding the behaviour of National Senior team coach, Winfried Schaefer to a videographer from TVJ at the airport on September 3, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has relieved Mr. Schäfer of his coaching duties until an investigation by the JFF is complete.
“This position was outlined to Mr Schäfer in a letter dated September 5, 2016.
“Assistant National Senior team Coach, Mr. Miguel Coley will assume coaching responsibilities for the World Cup qualifying game tonight, Jamaica vs Haiti.”
Schäfer was not expected to survive in his role after the Boyz wrap up their World Cup qualifiers tonight at the National Stadium.
He was appointed head coach in 2014, taking over the mantle from former star player Theodore Whitmore.
Schäfer’s brief was to qualify for the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia. Following a stuttering start with sides that leaked goals, he shored up the defence when fans were calling for him to go. That result was an incredibly fortunate triumph as they were crowned 2014 Caribbean Cup champions.
This sudden turnaround in fortunes employing his newly found tactics of defend first and try to score on the counter-attack paid dividends at last year’s Gold Cup, where the Boyz unexpectedly reached the final but were then overawed by Mexico.
Since that run the World Cup qualifiers have seen very few scoring opportunities and lack of goals, with the same nucleus of players that have been picked to not lose matches rather than attempt to win points.
The fact that Schäfer has persisted with predictable forays during important games has resulted in the Boyz slipping up to endless defeats and looking lacklustre.
Their recent 2-0 reversal to hosts Panama, which was a must-win scenario for the Boyz to stay in contention to progress in their World Cup campaign, was another example of his tactics to just defend resolutely. The Boyz only produced two shots throughout the contest compared to Panama’s 15.
And tonight’s match against Haiti, which Schäfer was due to marshall and was anticipated to be heckled by disillusioned fans, has already become a debacle.
Without Schäfer shouting from the sidelines the Boyz should be given some freedom, and as there is no pressure to beat the group’s basement side Haiti this is a match of no significance.
Regardless of the outcome of Schäfer’s suspension and tonight’s result on home turf, the days seem numbered for Schäfer at the helm.
But the Boyz need to bounce back if and when a new head coach is appointed, because JFF Captain Horace Burrell doesn’t want Jamaica to become a laughing stock on the global football arena.
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