Tappa's destiny: Thin line between hero and villain

By Orville Higgins

With less than a week to go before our next set of World Cup Qualifiers, I can't help but feel a tinge of sympathy for Theodore Whitmore. In two weeks, 'Tappa's' destiny is likely to be decided. There is no other Jamaican sportsman, maybe no other Jamaican professional, who will face the same kind of pressure that Tappa will be facing in the next 10 days.

I interviewed him at length on radio on Tuesday, May 27. It was an interview that was long overdue. Football discussions are big on my programme, and Whitmore has constantly faced the wrath of callers. I myself have been a harsh, but hopefully fair critic, and I wasn't sure what the atmosphere would be like when we would finally meet face-to-face in studio.

I was taken aback at how pleasant he sounded when I did call. I was pleased and surprised when he agreed to drop in, at what was relatively short notice. If you didn't know Tappa, you could mistake him for any ordinary man who walked off the streets. He had no airs about him at all. He was humble and, to my eyes, maybe even a touch nervous.

When the questions started coming, both from me and an emotional public, some of whom were baying for blood, he kept his composure, and never lost his cool. I found myself asking, where was the Theodore that could be so edgy when he speaks to the local press? Was it because he was coming to grips with talking to the media, or was it my innate ability to put people at ease once they are around me? (I'm going for the latter!)

EVASIVE

Some of his answers were a little 'political' and evasive, as if he wasn't really prepared to rock any boats, but one expected that. On the whole saga with Marlon King, for example, he wasn't prepared to talk about it until "another time". It sounded like a nice leave-alone to me.

At other times, he was a little more direct. The public has been clamouring for the Red Stripe Premier League's top goalscorer, but 'Tuffy' Anderson, he says, had some "flaws", and because he didn't have time to work on them, he feels it was best to leave him out.

I queried Jermaine Hue, another crowd favourite, being given limited playing time. He feels Hue is a good player who can "create damage" when he has the ball, but who needed to do some work when he doesn't have it. Mattocks has been mysteriously left out since impressing in the home game against the USA, but it appears that he is once again in the coach's good books. He was extremely impressed with Mattocks in the game against Tottenham Hotspur which we drew 0-0, and I feel he might start him come next Tuesday.

Tappa opened up in the interview and at times displayed the sense of humour which many don't know, or remember, he had. I asked him if it was true that Khari Stephenson is being left out because of perceived differences between his father and the JFF boss. He shrugged that off as just propaganda. He said the World Cup was his ultimate goal, and if Orville Higgins can help get him there, then he would go for Orville Higgins. (Too bad I'm unable to catch his eye!) He was strident in repeating that, contrary to public belief, HE was in charge of the programme and not Captain Burrell or Alfredo Montesso.

By the time the interview ended, Whitmore had gained some marks with the public. He was not aloof and defensive. He convinced most of that he was merely a man who has a high-pressure, difficult, and sometimes thankless job. He sounded confident enough about our chances of qualifying, but you also felt he was under no illusions that he could be demonised and chastised if we don't.

Whitmore is at the greatest crossroads of his life, and could be either a villain or a hero in the next two weeks. I found myself warming to the national coach and I am hoping that we qualify, as much for his sake, as for anything else.

Orville Higgins is a sportscaster and talk-show host at KLAS FM. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.