Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Kemar Watson (left) of St. Andrew shields the ball from St. Catherine's Tyrone Thompson (partly hidden) during their match in the JFF Pepsi Under 15 league at Prison Oval on Sunday. St. Catherine won 2-1. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ONLY FIVE members of Jamaica's Under-15 team that participated in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Youth Cup arrived here yesterday as the others were left stranded in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Marvin Boothe, Ateba Morgan, Akeem Brown, Shadoe Hanson and John-Ross Doyley are the five who returned home yesterday along with head coach Wendell Downswell.
"Because the players had visa problems when they left, they weren't able to get the normal package deal and so the players weren't be able to come back on the same flights," Earl Bailey, press officer of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), told The Gleaner.
LAST-MINUTE VISAS
Most of the players were granted U.S. visas at the last minute on August 3, as their flight schedule to Trinidad and Tobago took them through Miami, the day before the tournament.
Bailey, who spoke to The Gleaner yesterday, pointed out that the JFF was trying to get flights for the players back into Kingston "as early as tomorrow" (today).
Those left behind are Adrian Christian, Jermaine Jarrett, Christopher Waugh, Marlon Abraham, Romario Campbell, Oneil Watson, Shavoy Brown, Dever Orgill, Damaine Thompson, Namar Tummings, Allan Sylvester, Robert Clarke and Jeffery Johnson.
They were in the company of Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, the team's assistant coach, Michael Blair, the team's manager, team physician Dr. Alfred Dawes and Raymond Grant, Head of Delegation.
Christopher Waugh of Wolmer's Boys led the onslaught as Jamaica annihilated The British Virgin Islands 21-0; St Vincent 12-0 and The Bahamas 7-1. In the quarter-final they edged Martinique 1-0 before losing to Canada - one of two invited teams - 4-2 in the semi-finals.
Canada went on to defeat fellow invitee Guatemala 4 -0 to lift the 2005 trophy, while Jamaica whipped perennial rivals and hosts Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 for third place and in essence, were crowned Caribbean champions.
TOP TEAM
Head coach, Wendell Downswell was very satisfied with the performance of the young Boyz and noted that Jamaica were clearly the top team in the region.
"We were the dominant force in the Caribbean. As you saw, we defeated Trinidad in the finals so to speak. We were beaten 4-2 by Canada and it was one of our better performances," said Downswell. "I am satisfied with the performances, especially with the limited preparation that we had. It was one of the best selection processes that we had as we went through all the parishes to get the best players."
Downswell, also head coach of the senior team, said it was a tremendous experience especially for the youngsters, as with each game played "they equipped themselves relatively well in terms of the progress that they made individually."
