Oliveira
NEW technical director of Jamaica's football programme, Brazilian Clovis de Oliveira, arrived in the island yesterday to whip the Reggae Boyz in shape to mount a strong challenge for one of three places from Football Confederation (formerly CONCACAF) for the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea.
While the Jamaica Football Federation is confident Jamaica will qualify for the World Cup a second time in succession, de Oliveira is making no promises.
"One thing, I would not like to make a promise to qualify them this time because as you know what you promise you have to deliver," de Oliveira told The Gleaner shortly after his arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday. "What I am promising the people is to work as hard as possible," he continued.
For Oliveira, who takes over two days after the official resignation of his countryman Sebastiao Lazaroni, he probably will have an easier time as he was here before.
"First of all I used to be part of the programme. That probably is going to make things a little bit easier for me.
"All of my career has been a challenge and I know this one is going to be a very very big challenge. But I am very confident and I am very very happy to be here in Jamaica again."
Regarding the other problem faced by Lazaroni in that he did not know the players, de Oliveira said that it will not be a problem for him.
"For me that is not going to be a problem because I know most of the players that have been in the programme with us, even the foreign players. Like I told you each one will think one way and I respect his attitude but as I told you I accepted the challenge, I know it is going to be very hard for me but I am ready to do something for Jamaica's football."
De Oliveira, who worked here previously as the assistant technical director, added that he will not do anything differently now that he is the technical director. His philosophy he said will remain the same.
"I was here for six months and I think the people liked it and that is why I am coming back. Nothing is going to change my attitude.
"Not because I am the technical director now it is going to change. I will be the same person with humility but of course I know that the responsibility is going to be more. And as I said I am confident and happy that I will be able to do something for the Reggae Boyz."
Though the time that he has to prepare the team before its first game on July 16 is short, de Oliveira is confident it can be done but not without the support of the entire country.
"While I will not promise anything, if everyone works together, the media, the government, the coaching staff, JFF and the fans, if we work very very hard we have a good chance of qualifying," de Oliveira said.
If the reception de Oliveira got at the airport yesterday, with a number of people offering their good wishes and gathering around to hear what he had to say and even applauding at the end of his interview, then he is off to a positive with the fans. It was not lost on him.
"That is a very fantastic thing and it makes me more motivated and I am very proud of that. But before I left (Brazil) I looked at the poll (on homeviewjamaica.com) by internet and was happy to see that 95 per cent of the people were supporting my work and that was very great."
De Oliveira will meet with the team tomorrow and have his first friendly game against Cuba at the National Stadium this Sunday.
-Nodley Wright
