World Cup Hopes

And so my hopes and dreams of another Jamaican World Cup appearance may have very well have been crushed (except some great miracle happens and the Reggae Boyz win all their remaining matches and all the teams settle from ties) under the weight of a 2-0 defeat at the 'feet' of Honduras. And following hot on the heels of their World Cup Qualifying loss, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has reportedly fired the Brazilian coach, Rene Simoes, who was toted to repeat the same feat he performed in 1998 when under his tutelage, the Reggae Boyz made history in becoming the first ever English-speaking Caribbean country to Qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

Now it seems that Jamaicans will not get the opportunity to see their Country perform on the biggest soccer stage known to man. No more reggae music being played at soccer matches and dancing tigers awkwardly performing half-stunts. No more running around in the streets everytime the 'Boyz' score against a major opponent. The ominous sight of Jamaican's showing up at soccer matches with 'Jesus Saves' written across their chest, a trend made popular by now former Technical Director, Rene Simoes, will now forgotten.

And what have Jamaicans to do? What must fans and hopefuls now while the greatest game ever played is taking place all around the world and their team is not a part of it? What must the 'band-wagonists' when we see another team move forward and know within ourselves that our team could have done even better? What are we to say when players from around the world are awarded contracts based on the performance in the FIFA World Cup and our talented young players are sitting at home playing in a league sponsored by a cigarette company?

I'll tell you what i'll do! I'll choose another team because somehow I am going to enjoy South Africa 2010. And when if that team is eliminated, i simply choose another team. Call me a 'wagonist' if you will, and maybe rightly so. But if my country cannot make it in the world cup in 2010, then the onus will be on some other country to make my dreams and the dreams of my country's football heroes come true.

It is an unfortunate end to brilliant start of the world cup campaign but we cannot forget the valiant efforts of the young men who went and gave their all in a battle so revered that men have lost their lives over it(hmmmmmmmm). We must remember Rudolph Austin, Ricardo Gardener, Ricardo Fuller, Wolry Wolfe, Tyrone Marshall and the many others who fought to make Jamaica proud and succeeded. So it was not their victory at the end of the 90 minutes that gave us the greatest satisfaction but it was their efforts that we have truly triumphed as a nation.

I say, go Reggae Boyz, you have made me and many other Jamaican's proud. And to some other unsuspecting country (Cameroon, Nigeria, Cote de Voire, Italy), the pressure is on my friend!!!!!!!!