Under fire Cavaliers coach Blatt gets backing of Griffin

CLEVELAND, Ohio (AFP) — As the Cleveland Cavaliers’ woes deepened yesterday with a 109-90 NBA loss to Dallas, General Manager David Griffin insisted the team was committed to first-year coach David Blatt.

“No change is being made, period,” Griffin told reporters prior to yesterday’s game.

Last week ESPN reported that some in the club were concerned that Blatt, a 55-year-old American who guided Russia to 2012 Olympic bronze and Maccabi Tel Aviv to a Euroleague crown before being hired by the Cavaliers in June, was unable to motivate his players.

“This narrative of our coaching situation is truly ridiculous,” Griffin said. “It is a non-story. It’s a non-narrative.

“Coach Blatt is our coach. He’s going to remain our coach. Do not write that as a vote of confidence,” Griffin added with a touch of exasperation. “He never needed one. It was never a question.”

Blatt arrived weeks before four-time Most Valuable Player LeBron James left Miami to return to his home state club in the quest of bringing a major sports crown to Cleveland, which has not had such a champion in half a century.

Griffin said the club had expected the season to be one of growing pains, which have only been made worse by a spate of injuries.

James is sidelined for about two weeks with strains to his lower back and left knee. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving have also missed time with injuries and Brazilian big-man Anderson Varejao’s season was ended by an Achilles tendon injury.

Griffin said James was on a protocol of “rest and therapy” and would be seen by team medical staff on Wednesday, one week into his projected fortnight off.

Griffin said James could come back a bit sooner — or a bit later — depending on how his injuries respond to treatment.

In the meantime, he insisted, there’s no need to panic.

“What we’ve got is exactly what we talked about,” he said. “Growth and development and the long haul is what this is about.

“Everybody needs to just settle down and let it happen.”

That will be harder if the defeats continue to pile up.

With the loss to Dallas, Cleveland have lost four of their last five games, including three of four since James has been sidelined.

Love again picked up the offensive slack for Cleveland, scoring 30 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

Irving, however, scored only six points against the Mavericks.

Dallas connected better than 56 per cent of their shots from the field, Monta Ellis leading the way with 20 points.

Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points and Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler and JJ Barea added 14 apiece for the Mavs, who notched their fifth straight win and moved into a virtual tie with Memphis for first place in the Southwest Division.

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Under fire Cavaliers coach Blatt gets backing of Griffin

Boys" Town coach says misfiring team needs to get it right

Boys’ Town……………..1

Thomas (30th)

Montego Bay……………1

St Fluer (9th-penalty)

Peter Keyes missed a penalty chance in minute 85 that robbed an ailing Boys’ Town of maximum points in their Red Stripe Premier League game against Montego United at Collie Smith Drive on Sunday.

The game ended 1-1.

Happy with a point, coach Andrew Price, said: “We are playing fairly good football but just not scoring the goals to complement the team effort. Nonetheless, we have a set of quality players and we just need to get it right and go on a winning streak.”

His opposite number Carlos Garcia, said: “It is a game we should have won, but after we scored the opening goal, we sat back and let Boys’ Town in. And added to this, we had to make an early change that set our plans back. And even with other changes, we just could not go on to make better use of the chances we created.

Boys’ Town, probably feeling the effects of being rooted at the bottom of the standings, opened as though they were on a slow boat to China, and before they could settle, Montego Bay drew a penalty from an injudicious tackle from Xavian Virgo that left referee Jermaine Douglas with little choice than to point to the spot for a penalty. Lesly St Fluer then put Montego Bay in the lead.

Not even this could inspire greater effort from Boys’ Town. However, Montego Bay, who were not themselves any more inspiring, were forced to make an early substitution, but nothing changed radically for the better and Boys’ Town’s first real peep at goal drew them level through Rafiek Thomas, who rolled a low curling shot away from goalkeeper Jacomeno Barrett.

Teams:

Boys’ Town — Kirk Porter, Pearce Mc Pherson, Victor Thompson, Xavian Virgo, Garfield Gillespie, Marvin Stewart, Chavaney Willis (Asrick Samuels 65th), Michael Campbell, Andre Dawson (Peter Keyes 77th), Rafiek Thomas, Hugh Evans

Subs not used: Leon Goffe, Daemion Benjamin, Trevin Garnett, William Richards, Anthony Dawes

Booked: Evans (37th)

Montego United — Jacomeno Barrett, Keneil Kirlew, Cordel Simpson (Jerome Haughton 46th), Omar Gordon, Lesly St Fluer (Ladale Richie 26th), Dwayne Ambusley, Ronaldo Rodney, John Barrett, Dino Williams, Winston Wilkinson, Allan Ottey

Subs not used: Garen Downie, Deshane Beckford, Jermaine Woozencraft, O’Carey Spence, Kevaun Atkinson

Booked: Ambusley (64th), Haughton (79th), Ottey (87th)

Referee: Jermaine Douglas

Assistant Referees: Ricardo Morgan, Lloyd Edwards

Fourth Official: Tyrone Robinson

Match Commissary: Horace Lewis

– Hurbun Williams

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Boys" Town coach says misfiring team needs to get it right

Tyrone Marshall hired as assistant coach in the MLS

UTAH, United States (CMC) — Former Jamaica international Tyrone Marshall has been hired as an assistant coach for Real Salt Lake (RSL) of Major League Soccer (MLS), North America’s top professional competition.

Marshall on Monday signed a contract to join the RSL staff, where he will work alongside former club and international teammate Andy Williams, also an assistant coach.

He had been serving as head coach and technical director at Derby City Rovers, a United States-based Premier Development League team.

“I basically had to go get that experience. So now I see (the RSL job) as a transition to take the next step, the next level,” said Marshall, who holds an A licence from the US Soccer Federation.

“I have the necessary qualification to make the transition. I was doing the appropriate things, staying involved.”

Marshall played in MLS from 1998 to 2012, spreading over five different clubs, including Colorado Rapids twice.

The former League all-star won the MLS Cup with LA Galaxy in 2002. His other MLS clubs include Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders.

“Right now, the focus is on Real Salt Lake and helping them to win another championship,” said the 40-year-old Marshall, who represented Jamaica more than 80 times.

“Later down the line, I would consider a coaching job with Jamaica. That was always going to be a dream.”

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Tyrone Marshall hired as assistant coach in the MLS

Schafer arrives today for new stint as national football coach

BY IAN BURNETT SPORTS EDITOR burnetti@jamaicaobserver.com

Tuesday, January 28, 2014    

WINFRIED Schafer is scheduled to arrive in the island today to begin a four-year stint as head coach of Jamaica’s senior men’s team leading to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia.

The German is slated to arrive at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, directly from his native Germany.

The 63-year-old, who has coached in his homeland, as well as Africa, Asia and the Middle East, agreed to terms with the Captain Horace Burrell-led Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in recent days, after mulling over a contract presented to him last December.

Captain Burrell confirmed to the Jamaica Observer yesterday that Schafer would be returning and that the deal was reached after “extensive negotiations”, but he was not prepared to reveal much, only that “details would be announced at a later date”.

But the Observer understands that the man who led Cameroon to the African Cup of Nations title in 2002 and, on a golden run, steered the Africans to the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2003, is expected to immediately announce his plans for the

senior men’s football programme, especially with the Caribbean Cup, a qualifier for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, slated for the back end of the year. He is also expected to lend his expertise and play a lead role in the restructuring of the JFF technical programmes and the operations of the age-group teams.

Part of the delay in re-signing Schafer was predicated on efforts to identify corporate partners to assist in covering his salary, but the Observer also understands that the coach was not only concerned about his own salary, but that the overall programme be supported sufficiently for him to seriously move it forward.

“He says he is not coming here (Jamaica) for a pension, but to work hard to improve the sport on the island,” the source told

the Observer.

Schafer joined the Reggae Boyz at the tail end of the failed Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign last August, after succeeding Theodore Whitmore, on a four-month contract which ran out on November 30.

The source added that Schafer wants to have all age-group teams playing under one philosophy, and that he could even ask to have direct control of the Under-23 team.

It is also thought that it is Schafer’s intention to have open dialogue and working relationships with all the National Premier League teams — coaches, physical trainers and managers in an effort to better prepare local-based players.

The Reggae Boyz are expected to face 1998 World Cup winners France in a friendly international on June 8 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, France, and could be in action earlier, as the JFF is is still in negotiations for other games, which could be finalised before long.

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Schafer arrives today for new stint as national football coach

Coach out to prove August Town not made of Straw

August Town Football Club of Jamaica and Wigan Athletic Football Club of England are miles apart, but are so close in their plights, having won their respective top-tier knockout competitions then get relegated the same year.

August Town did that in the 2009/10 season winning the Jackie Bell Knockout before being relegated from the premier league, while Wigan did the same this past year beating Manchester City in the prestigious FA Cup before being relegation from the English League.Just like in the 200 million bestseller A Tale of two Cities, depicting the struggles in Paris and London before and during the French Revolution, both clubs’ struggles are paralleled and well documented.But while Wigan will be plying their trade in the lower division of England this season, August Town are back in the Red Stripe Premier League after a three-year absence hell bent on staying there.Head coach Max Straw outlined his team’s first priority which is to be a staple in the top flight and put an end to their see-saw run in the premier league.“We never come in this competition to be fodder to anybody. Our sole intention and purpose is to be one of the teams in the premier league for the following season,” Straw said firmly.“Being back in the premier league we are clearly the number 12 ranked team, so we know that if we remain the number 12 team we will be relegated.“So our job is to try and get amongst the top 10 teams and stay there. We know it is not an easy task, but we have a little experience and we have made some acquisitions bringing experience into the club,” he added.With that in mind, August Town, formed in 1972 to serve the adjoining communities of Hermitage, Elletson Flats and Mona, were busy in the transfer market bringing in at least 13 players.Having won the KSAFA Super League then qualified for the premier league with what fans called an ageing side, August Town have brought in Jeffrey Grant (Cavalier), Kevaughn White, Richard Orrett and Jerome Wedderburn (Constant Spring), Tyrone Davis (Greenwich Town), Ricardo Harriott (Portmore United) and Rupert Murray (Sporting Central Academy) to their ranks.“We have to bring that experience to play in the premier league. We want to expose young players at some point, but we have to have experienced players to lead in the dressing room. You can’t beat that, but it’s about giving these other players the opportunity to shine in the premier league,” said Straw.“We not coming in here to celebrate qualifying or the premier league. No, we have been through that already. This time we have to show that we can stay and we belong with these other teams here. We have to pay our dues, take our licks, but we want to win between 15 and 18 games and that should keep us in the top half of the league,” Straw argued.But just like any other team, August Town, with a capacity of 1,500 seats at the UWI Bowl, are considered a small team in terms of financing and this year they will have their hands full keeping up with the big boys.“I can’t say it won’t be a challenge, but it’s a challenge that we in the club have decided to take up. We know we’re not coming off a budget like those bigger clubs, but we trying to put this one under a secure footing so that it can be a source of employment for the footballers in the community,” said Straw, who was assistant coach to Lenny Hyde at Humble Lion last season.

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Coach out to prove August Town not made of Straw

Mexico sack coach de la Torre

Sport

Sunday, September 08, 2013

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Jose Manuel ‘Chepo’ de la Torre was sacked as manager of Mexico yesterday, hours after his side’s embarrassing home defeat by Honduras in a World Cup qualifier.The 2-1 defeat on Friday night — which marked just the second time Mexico had lost a World Cup qualifier at home — saw El Tri slip to fourth in the six-nation North and Central America and Caribbean final qualifying group, with only the top three teams earning direct entry to the finals in Brazil next year.The fourth-placed team will play New Zealand for a berth.A brief statement from the Mexican Football Federation in the early hours of yesterday morning said only that president Justino Compean had taken the decision to make a change.Luis Fernando Tena, an experienced assistant to de la Torre, will take over.Tena comes in as Mexico face a critical match against the United States in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday.The USA will be keen to get back on track after falling 3-1 in Costa Rica on Friday to slip to second in the group behind the Ticos.Calls of “Chepo Out” had echoed through the Azteca Friday night, but De la Torre had insisted immediately after the match he wouldn’t resign.“Quitting now would be a failure,” he said.Mexican coach Jose Manuel de la Torre as he addresses the media at the Mexican High Performance Centre in Mexico City, in February. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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Mexico sack coach de la Torre

FIFA receives complaint of racism against Nigeria coach Keshi

Sport

Thursday, August 29, 2013

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) — FIFA has received a complaint of racism against Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi after he described a rival as “a white dude” who didn’t know about Africa and who should go back to his native Belgium.FIFA declined to comment further yesterday and only said it had received the complaint against Keshi, who led Nigeria to this year’s African Cup of Nations title in South Africa.Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet said the Football Association of Malawi reported Keshi for comments apparently made on an African TV show, where Keshi said Saintfiet was “crazy” and “mad” for suggesting the southern Nigerian city of Calabar was unsafe for a World Cup qualifier between the countries next month.Keshi went on to say the Belgian “is not an African person, he is a white dude. He should go back to Belgium”.Saintfiet said that if FIFA is serious about tackling racism in football, it has to “take it seriously in both directions”.FIFA toughened its punishments for racism at its recent annual conference in Mauritius in May after incidents in England and Italy where black players were targeted, but a white coach accusing a black coach of racism is rare.“If a European said something of this nature about an African, you would have a huge problem. I am against racism in all directions,” Saintfiet told the BBC.The Nigeria Football Federation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president, Caymanian Jeffrey Webb, heads FIFA’s Anti-Racism and Discrimination Task Force.

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FIFA receives complaint of racism against Nigeria coach Keshi

U15 High Performance camp coach expects intense development

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U15 High Performance camp coach expects intense development

Boyz cling to hope - Coach Schafer remains optimistic

DESPITE not having a practice game prior to their do-or-die World Cup qualifying away match-up against Panama on September 6, Reggae Boyz head coach Winfried Schafer has instead made himself busy by scouting and talking to several key overseas-based players.

The 63-year-old German, who was appointed in July, remains upbeat that the Reggae Boyz can pull off the miracle and still qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil next year.“Right now we have a 30 per cent chance, but when we win against Panama that will be 60 per cent and maybe Costa Rica or Honduras lose the next match, I don’t know, it’s not easy,” said Schafer.The former Bundesliga stalwart, who scored 46 goals in 403 German top-flight appearances as a player and who led Cameroon to the African Cup of Nations title in 2002, said he wouldn’t have taken the Jamaican job if he thought it was hopeless.“I believe I can change from the last matches to success in the few days before the match against Panama, I will have to instil belief in the players,” said Schafer.The Reggae Boyz are currently at the bottom of the six-team group on two points behind Panama (six), Honduras (seven), Mexico (eight), Costa Rica (11), and the United States of America (13) with only four games remaining.Schafer said he was shocked when he looked at the table and saw Jamaica with only two points, and after careful video analysis, he was convinced that the Reggae Boyz should have been in a better position.“I have to talk to the players, I need information from my players. I need opinion of the players why Jamaica have only two points. What we have to do for better. Why we lost against United States. Why we lost against Panama. I want opinions of the players,” he explained.“The important thing is that the players come here with motivation and only these players will show up in my team,” said Schafer.With all six teams in the Hexagonal round busy recently with friendly games, Jamaica were unable to secure one on the last FIFA calendar date set aside for friendly internationals. But Schafer was not idle.“I was in America at the CONCACAF Gold Cup which featured four of our opponents in the World Cup qualifying,” noted Schafer.“I watched Honduras, Costa Rica, United States, Mexico and Panama after I was in England and watched six Championship matches, and importantly, I talked to my Reggae Boyz,” he noted.While in the United Kingdom where he met and spoke with several players, five of whom are captains of Championships teams in England.Although he couldn’t remember all the names, he did mention one Westley Morgan who is the skipper of Leicester City and who is regarded as the best centre back in the Championship. Morgan, 29, may be a replacement for the injured Nyron Nosworthy.“I saw some new players while in England, but I cannot tell you now which players are on the list. When Captain (Horace) Burrell comes back we will have a press conference and talk about it,” he told the Jamaica Observer.President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Captain Horace Burrell (left) greets Reggae Boyz head coach Winfried Schafer at last month’s press conference at the Federation’s offices to present the new coach.

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Boyz cling to hope - Coach Schafer remains optimistic

The Vere Technical family bids farewell to phenomenal coach Paul Stone

PAUL Andrew Stone, the 63-year-old retired track and field athletics coach of Vere Technical High School, was last month hailed as a phenomenal coach whose efforts produced numerous female athletes and hurdlers who excelled in many events under his guidance.

Stone, who served as coach for the school for the last three decades, died on July 12.A thanksgiving service celebrating his life was held on July 27 at the Christ Church located at Vineyard Town in Kingston.The service began with musical tributes from Harold Davis, Maria Myrie, Carole Reid, Marjorie Whylie and Winston Ewart.According to Stone’s former colleague Dr Paul Auden, while he served Vere Technical, Stone was a phenomenal coach by nature with no formal training.“This was a man with no coaching degree, but an excellent coach. He coached about 25 events at Vere. How did Paul come into sporting? He just loved sports. He never went to any top university for training,” Auden said.“The one thing that struck me when I went to Vere, was to see some girls from the wrong side of the streets, they had no future and Paul Stone got them to go to Vere. Paul was their father figure and showed them a better life,” Auden added.He reflected on the good times they both shared while monitoring the development of the athletes at Vere Technical High.“He was the nickname master at Vere. With the girls, he watched how they performed and gave each a nickname,” he said in a bid to cheer the silent mourners who gathered to celebrate Stone’s life.John Messam, who was appointed coach for Vere Technical immediately after Stone’s departure, also paid tribute to Stone’s immeasurable contribution to the sport.Messam said it was Stone and his selfless investment that assisted him in managing the hurdles coaching tactics he inherited from him.Stone’s sister, Ann Martin, who delivered the remembrance, said she mourned the loss of one of her best friends.“As far as I can remember, I was Paul’s best friend, sister and all that you can think of. We did everything together. Paul was someone who liked great and exciting things in his young years,” she said.After sitting the Common Entrance Examinations, Stone was awarded a place at Cornwall College, which he attended before relocating to Kingston and attending Wolmer’s Boy’s School. After his secondary education was complete, he migrated to the United States of America and entered the field of trade unionism.He later returned to Jamaica and worked in the field of trade unionism before becoming an entrepreneur, the joined the family at Vere Technical and served as their coach before his retirement.Under his leadership at Vere Technical, he coached Olympians from Vere Technical such as athlete Ethlyn Tate and hurdler Sophia Brown.He was also remembered for seeking academic opportunities and scholarships for the individuals he trained, as he believed in the combination of education and track and field.His death leaves a void in the lives of his wife Cherrin, sons Pierre, Paul, Paul-Anthony, Bobby, David and Chris, and daughter Peytra, and other relatives.His remains were cremated.Cherrin Stone, widow of the late Paul Stone, hands the urn with his ashes to the officiating priest, The Reverend Father Sean Major-Campbell.Ann Martin, sister of the late Paul Stone, offered the remembrance at the service celebrating his life last month.John Messam, who was appointed coach for Vere Technical High School after Paul Stone’s departure.Dr Paul Auden, former colleague of the late Paul Stone, offering a tribute to his close friend. (PHOTOS: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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The Vere Technical family bids farewell to phenomenal coach Paul Stone

Shelly-Ann double success no surprise, say coach Francis

MOSCOW, Russia — Stephen Francis, the man who coached Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to a rare women’s sprint double at the 14th IAAF World Championships, is not surprised by his prized pupil’s success here in Moscow.

On Friday night amid wild celebrations by Jamaicans during and after the race at the Luzhniki Stadium, Francis, who was patiently waiting for the athlete to complete her obligations inside the massive complex, said simply that she would not have been entered in the double if she did not have the chance to win it.“The only reason she was sent to do two events was because it was felt she had a chance to win, so I can’t say it was unexpected,” he told reporters. “It was something which was done because she had a very good chance to win both.”Fraser-Pryce joined two others who completed the double after Silke Gladisch of the former East Germany in 1987 in Rome, Italy, and Germany’s Katrin Krabbe in 1991 in Tokyo, Japan.Four men, including Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has done the double, Maurice Green in 1999, Justin Gatlin in 2005, Tyson Gay in 2007, and Bolt in 2009.Fraser-Pryce, who had won the 100m last Monday evening, used her bullet start to great effect, taking charge of the race early before powering away in the straight to win in 22.17 seconds ahead of Murielle Ahoure of the Ivory Coast and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare, both given the same time of 22.32 seconds.And given the conditions, Francis said that was the only way she could have won. It was also the only sprint event of the championships where none of the finalists managed either a season or personal best.“She ran the best way she could, given the type of anti-sprint atmosphere we have had in Moscow,” he said. “Given the (very cool) temperatures and lack of wind, it was the best way she could run…”The first few days of the championships that started last Saturday were hot and sunny, but the temperatures started to drop a few days ago and despite bright sunshine, the conditions, especially in the evening sessions, have been cool.In her post-race interviews, Fraser-Pryce spoke of “hating” the 200m event, but said after her pre-race talk with Francis, “I decided I was going to let it all out on the track, my coach, before I came out, said to me, for the past few meets I have not been running the corner how I should and he said to me ‘you won’t be tired in the end, don’t worry, you will feel some pain, but feel the pain’, and so I decided I was going to run that (first) 100m like a train, I was going to come off the corner and hit the straight and I was going to power home.”American Allyson Felix, who had won three gold medals in the event between 2005 and 2009, suffered an ankle injury early in the race, collapsing to the ground and was lifted off first by her brother then placed on a stretcher.

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Shelly-Ann double success no surprise, say coach Francis

US ready to set world alight, says head coach

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — A star-studded American team is ready to impress at the World Athletics Championships that start in Moscow at the weekend, men’s head coach Mike Holloway said yesterday.

And Holloway is expecting the team to set the world alight.“I’m very excited with the team’s work in the training camp and really impressed with their preparation for the event. By their passion as well,” he told reporters in Moscow.“We have a good mix of youth and experience, as nine defending world champions and five world record holders came here, along with some young athletes.”Olympic champion Aries Merritt, the world record holder in the men’s 110m hurdles, believes records could tumble at the Luzniki Stadium.“The practice tracks here are extremely fast, they are similar to what we had in London (for the Olympics), except they’re blue. And if the arena’s track is the same, then we should expect a lot of fast times here,” he said.“This year the results were relatively slower than we had in previous years. It’s just because of the Olympics. Many of the athletes still feel tired and drained after the tough preparation and high-grade competition at the Olympic Games.”Sprint star Allyson Felix said she was enjoying being one of the elder stateswomen as she prepares to concentrate on her favourite 200-metre event.Felix, 27, has performed at 100m, 200m and 400m during an illustrious career, but the majority of her medal-laden success has come in the half-lap discipline, which is her sole focus in Moscow.“I am excited to be back at the World Championships and focus on the 200, which I have not done in quite some time, get back to where I started from and enjoy the World Championships,” the London Olympic 200m champion told reporters in Moscow.“I also hope to be on both relays here,” she added.Felix is aiming to reclaim the world 200m title she lost in Daegu two years ago when finishing third, having gone into that championship as the triple world champion at her best event.Felix, for so long the young standard bearer of US athletics, also said that it felt strange to be one of the oldest athletes in the US squad and to serve as a mentor to the younger ones.“I am old now!” she said laughing. “It is very weird, time is going by… and it’s a lot of fun to see the younger athletes come up.“It is great to be able to give them advice, make sure they stay focused and enjoy the journey and all that. They have blank pages in front of them, it is the beginning of their careers.“It is definitely a different experience to be one of the older people on the team.”FELIX… I am excited to be back at the World Championships and focus on the 200MERRITT… believes records could tumble at the Luzniki Stadium

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US ready to set world alight, says head coach

Boyz head coach aims to lure enigmatic striker out of retirement

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — New Reggae Boyz head coach Winfried Schafer says he will attempt to lure striker Marlon King out of international retirement in an effort to boost the team’s offensive thrust.

The German tactician told the Jamaica Observer in Chicago on Saturday that he is prepared to look beyond King’s dogged past as he aims to shoreup the offensive aspect of the team’s play after an enduring goal drought during the ongoing CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign.“I saw one player at Birmingham City, who has scored many goals and I want to have a talk with him. This is a new situation and the past is the past,” said Schafer, the former Cameroon coach, who led that country to the African Cup of Nations title back in 2002.He warned, however, that fans of King should not get their hopes up of successfully wooing the enigmatic striker back to the fold after he quit Jamaica’s team out of frustration last November.“First I want to watch him play… I must first see him and talk with him, but it’s possible that he could come back,” said Schafer.King, 33, who has scored 12 goals in 22 appearances for Jamaica, is regarded as a top striker, but who has had a see-saw association with the national team.King’s frustration hit the roof after he was scorned by the Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore-led coaching team after serving a two-match suspension for violating team curfew rules during a friendly match against Panama in that country in May last year.After serving the ban that would have involved World Cup qualifying semi-final games against Guatemala in Kingston and Antigua and Barbuda away, King was kept in the wilderness thereafter by Whitmore, who recently quit as head coach.No stranger to trouble, King was also banned for two years by the Crenston Boxhill-led administration for another curfew-related incident in England in 2006.On the return of Burrell to the helm of the JFF in 2007, King was immediately reinstated to the team.In December 2008, King was arrested in England on suspicion of punching a 20-year-old female university student in the face, causing a broken nose and split lip for which she was treated in hospital. In a highly publicised case, he was later convicted of sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and sentenced to 18 months in prison.And just this past weekend merely hours of being handed a free transfer by Birmingham City, King was arrested after a hit and run which left a man in hospital on Saturday night.According to the Mail Online, the collision reportedly occurred near London’s West End and King has been released on bail until September by City of London Police.The victim is reported to be in his 40s, and he was treated for head injuries at a nearby hospital. Sources claim the incident happened not far from Paddington rail station.King has had a relatively successful career playing in England, having represented Wigan Athletic, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Coventry, Watford, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City.Meanwhile, Schafer, who is charged in the first instance to try to make a last-ditch, death-defying move to rescue Jamaica’s flailing World Cup campaign, said the team’s poor scoring record has to turn around.“We want strikers and I go to England soon to look at (some prospects). We can’t be playing with only one striker in the box… we need more strikers in there.“Maybe we could play 4-3-3… those playing on the wings must go in for goal. We just can’t play with one striker and hope to make goals,” Schafer told the Observer.Jamaica have scored only two goals and conceded eight in six matches.In the Hexagonal of the CONCACAF elimination, Jamaica sit at the bottom with two points and must win their four remaining games, starting with a do-or-die contest against a dangerous Panama away on September 6, if they wish to at least snatch the fourth-place play-off spot that would pit them against the champions of Oceania.The USA lead the points standings with 13 points, followed by Costa Rica on 11, Mexico on 10, Honduras, 7, and Panama, 6.KING… top striker who has had a see-saw association with the national teamHead coach Winfried Schafer (left) and his new assistant head coach Vin Blaine at the press briefing to introduce Schafer at the JFF headquarters recently.

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Boyz head coach aims to lure enigmatic striker out of retirement

Seven dead in Italy coach crash

28 July 2013 Last updated at 18:19 ET At least seven people have been killed in southern Italy when a coach plunged 30m (98ft) down a steep slope, Italian media report.

The coach hit several cars before coming off a flyover near the town of Avellino, in the Campania region.

The driver is thought to be among the dead, according to the Italian news agency Ansa.

There were about 40 passengers on board, including children, the news agency said.

The group had been returning to Naples following a pilgrimage.

“I cannot yet confirm the number of victims – we are still pulling people from the vehicle,” a police spokesman told the French news agency AFP.

He added that the Naples-Bari highway had been closed to traffic because of the accident.

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Seven dead in Italy coach crash

Readers want a European coach for Reggae Boyz

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaicans, at least those responding to the Jamaica Observer Online poll feel that the Reggae Boyz would be best served by a European coach, if not a local.

Over the week of the poll — from what area of the world should the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) recruit the next Reggae Boyz coach— 41 per cent of respondents said Europe.However, 37 per cent felt that a local coach should be recruited. And despite Jamaica’s affinity to South American football and the fact that the country’s only trip the World Cup was with a Brazilian, only 19 per cent of respondents would want a coach from that part of the world.Meanwhile, a coach from North America had little support polling a mere three per cent.Former Reggae Boyz head coach, local-based Theodore Whitmore tendered his resignation following the Boyz’ 2-0 defeat to Honduras in that country on June 11. That loss culminated of a string of unfavourable results that included home defeats to the Mexico (1-0) on June 4 and the USA (2-1) on June 7. Prior to those games, the Boyz also lost 2-0 away to Costa Rica on March 26.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Readers want a European coach for Reggae Boyz