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Observer Reporter
Saturday, November 25, 2006

NEWLY appointed technical director of the national football programme
Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic has set his sights on improving the tactical
discipline and attitude of the Reggae Boyz as he begins his job of guiding
Jamaica to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"Without the right mentality and tactical preparations, you won't achieve
anything," said the Serbian-born coach in a recent interview with FIFA.com.

"We already have qualities like speed and strength, so we only have to
adjust a few minor things," the website report quoted Milutinovic as
saying.

Under the guidance of Brazilian René Simoes, Jamaica became the first
team from the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify for the World Cup,
doing so in France 1998.

Milutinovic, who has coached no fewer than five national teams at
separate FIFA World Cups, is looking forward to the challenge of taking
the Reggae Boyz back to football's showpiece event.

"It will be difficult, as that team set the bar very high. First they qualified
for the finals, then they beat Japan (2-1), a very competitive side, when
they got there. Hopefully we can match that feat," Milutinovic said.


"For a small country, qualifying for the World Cup and winning a game
there is a very tough thing to do," the veteran international coach stated,
pointing to the recent achievement of Trinidad and Tobago in Germany
this summer. "They played a very good brand of football, taking a point
off Sweden to leave people with a very good impression of Caribbean
football."

Impressed by the talent that he saw in Jamaica's recent 1-1 draw with
Peru at the 'The Office', Milutinovic says it is just a matter of moulding the
Boyz into a succesful unit.

"We have players plying their trade in England, Sweden, the USA and so
on, and I believe that with the time that is available, I will be able to
prepare a competitive side... the quality is there; now it's a question of
serious dedication and work."

"Unfortunately, Jamaica failed to qualify for the Gold Cup, which means
we'll be short of competitive action. Because of that, I'll be trying to
arrange as many friendlies as possible," said the Serb, who currently
lives in Mexico.

When Milutinovic was in charge of Mexico, the team played 64 freindly
internationals, with the USA it was 94, and 51 with China.

"Hopefully I'll be able to make use of my contacts, as playing is the best
way to improve," he said.

Jamaica, who failed to reach the last round of qualifying for Germany
2006, will be hoping to progress to that phase of the 2010 campaign
dubbed 'Return to Africa', to book one of the three-and-a-half spots
available to CONCACAF.

"Mexico and the USA are clearly ahead of the rest, and so are almost
guaranteed their places at the finals. After them you have countries like
Honduras, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Cuba and Panama,
all of whom have quality within their ranks. Between them, those sides
will have to battle it out for the region's other one-and-a-half berths (one
automatic, one play-off)," Milutinovic said in a website report.

"It's sure to be a fierce struggle, as Panama now have Alexandre
Guimaraes (at the helm), Costa Rica have Hernan Medford, Mexico Hugo
Sanchez and El Salvador Carlos de los Cobos. I coached all of them in
my time, and now they are highly regarded coaches," Milutinovic ended.