Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter

Jamaica's disastrous showing at last month's Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Football Championship has resulted in two coaching casualties.

Technical director Walter Gama and goalkeeping coach, Armando Bracali, were yesterday relieved of their duties with immediate effect.

Jamaica Football Federation President, Captain Horace Burrell, made the announcement at a press briefing called yesterday evening at the federation's head office in New Kingston.

Defending champions and favourites Jamaica crashed out of the Caribbean Championships at the preliminary stage and this prompted Burrell to order the Howard McIntosh-chaired Technical and Development Committee to conduct an in-depth probe into the team's performance.

Lack of leadership

"Arising out of the report, it is clear that there is a lack of proactive technical leadership prior to and during this tournament," Burrell, who leaves the island today to be part of the World Player of the Year Gala in Zurich, said. "When you are dealing with football and in particular the technical aspect of the game, the technical director, whose job it is to see to the proper running of the technical programme, has full responsibility for the technical aspect of the game.

"(Jamaica) Having performed miserably during this tournament and deciding that it could not be business as usual, the decision has been taken to terminate the employment of the technical director, Professor Walter Gama, with immediate effect. In addition, it was also felt coming out of this report that the goalkeeper coach, Armando Bracali, has not shown enough teeth, so to speak ... ," Burrell said.

National Under-20 coach, Luciano Gama, and senior assistant coach, Alfredo Montesso, remain in their jobs. Burrell had previously announced that head coach, Theodore Whitmore's job is safe, but yesterday reiterated that if any member of the coaching staff does not perform; they will be "fired".

Burrell also announced that seven of the eight recently recruited overseas players are now eligible for the Reggae Boyz's opening match in the final round of World Cup qualifiers against Mexico on February 6.

The players are: Jobi McAnuff (Reading), Garth McCleary (Reading), Lloyd Doyley (Watford), Marvin Bartley (Burnley), Teo Robinson (Derby), Jermaine Beckford (Huddersfield) and Daniel Gordon (Karlsruher SC, Germany).

ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com