Bounty Killer Bats For Struggling Reggae Boyz
In the wake of a hail of negative comments aimed at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the Reggae Boyz squad over their sub-par performance at the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Bounty Killer is still batting for the men’s senior team, which will also face the United States, tonight at the National Stadium in Kingston.
“Despite the momentum might isn’t the same for the team today but we can’t stop celebrate that day in the history of football. Reggae Boyz and Reggae Starz bring we joy,” Bounty Killer noted under a photo of the history-making team on Instagram on Tuesday, as Jamaica marked 24 years since the Reggae Boyz qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWWAcDWJBsT/
The Reggae Boyz qualified for the 1998 Fifa World Cup in France on November 17, 1997, creating history as the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to qualify for the World Cup. The following summer during the tournament, the footballers gained tens of thousands of fans and were voted one of the most colorful football teams of the tournament.
At the time the Reggae Boyz qualified for the World Cup in 1998, Prime Minister PJ Patterson had declared a public holiday as the celebrated road to France had been completed successfully. Patterson had declared the match result “undoubtedly the greatest day in Jamaica’s sporting history”.
Jamaica had played to a goalless draw with CONCACAF gladiators Mexico, claiming the single point they needed to take their place alongside 31 other nations the premier event of “The Beautiful Game”, sparking a huge eruption of wild cheers across the national stadium.
Their position was secured after the United States defeated El Salvador, the only team capable of denying Jamaica’s trip to France, in a 2-0 showdown.
Jamaica not only became the first English-speaking Caribbean country to qualify for the World Cup, but the third from the region, Cuba and Haiti having qualified in competitions before them.
At present, the United States leads the CONCACAF final-round qualifying with 14 points, while Central Americans, Mexico, who are also on 14 points, are in second place as they have an inferior goal difference.
Canada, with 13 points are third, followed by Panama at fourth with 11 points, while Costa Rica, Jamaica and El Salvador are all on six points with Honduras at the tail on three points.
Jamaica has only a mathematical chance of qualifying as only the top three countries from within CONCACAF are guaranteed a place to the 2022 World Cup Finals in Qatar. The fourth-place finisher might have the opportunity to vie for another coveted spot, by way of the Intercontinental play-offs.
Unlike Bounty Killer, over on the JFF’s Instagram page where the historic feat was shared, with a caption stating: “We’ll never forget November 16, 1997 ✨…We qualified for #France98 ❤️”, many young people, particularly those born after 1998, slammed the Federation for living in the past, as Jamaica has performed dismally during the qualifiers, over the last two decades to date.
“@jff_football qualify fi #qatar2022 so d young utes can feel the joy to,” ofc.keneil told the Federation, while pyzon_137 added sarcastically: “Maybe we need to forget so we can qualify for another then forget that and qualify again.”
“Unu can f**k off wid unu history weh unu a live inna cz dem time deh me just born a few months ago tpc… Unu nave no shame cz from me born till now me a big man n neva see ja a go no wc,”
worl_rosh noted with scorn.
Jamaica’s Head Coach Theodore “TAppa” Whitmore, who recently said in an interview that his players need to retain the ball a lot better if they are to turn their fortunes around, also came in for strong rebuke and criticisms. Upset fans pointed out that during their defeats at the hands of Mexico, Panama and the United States, the Reggae Boyz had surrendered possession and plenty of ground to their rivals.
“Tht will never happen as long as tappa a coach I’m about to ask Mexico to adapt me till tappa n O’Neil fisher n alvas n Andre Blake Damian lowe taxi n Cory left mi forward Jamaica luck up and wit one game I said we wouldn’t win one look later a bag up tappa n him fren dem a get bag up. us1000 bet anybody first text me after the game in Jamaica win get us1000,” gio_pico wrote.
“In regards to the Reggae Boyz and Tappa, mi Lower mi expectations long time so unu cyah disappoint me, only surprise,” chiseled_by_faith_ said on another post.