Reggae Boyz slip in rankings
Published:Thursday | November 18, 2010 | 12:00 AM
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz - the reigning Caribbean Cup champions - fell marginally in the world rankings, down three places to 82nd, to hold on to second place in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) behind new leaders Trinidad and Tobago.
The Reggae Boyz's drop is mostly attributed to their inactivity, since they did not have to play any qualifying matches for the Caribbean Cup, and had no friendly internationals in the period under review to help boost their standing.
Russell Latapy, in the meantime, has given Trinidad & Tobago's Minister of Sport Anil Roberts another 28 reasons why he should keep his job as coach of the men's national team.
The Soca Warriors have risen that number of places to 78th in the FIFA World Rankings to reclaim the title as the best side in the Caribbean Football Union, ahead of traditional rivals Jamaica.
Public challenge
Roberts put Latapy under pressure when he publicly challenged the national coach to win the Digicel Caribbean Cup, which concludes later this month in Martinique, or resign.
Latapy and his side responded when they emphatically won their second-round qualifying group on home soil to advance to the finals of the regional competition.
This achievement may be short of the minister's ultimatum, but Latapy and the Warriors can feel confident entering the finals, knowing they are considered the best team in the region.
Breathing down their necks of the Jamaicans are Guyana, which moved up 12 places in the world to an all-time best of 86, making them the CFU number three.
The Golden Jaguars, as they are also known, are one of the six teams to qualify for the Caribbean Cup finals, alongside hosts Martinique and Jamaica, and this attests to their consistent performances over the last year.
Grenada, the 2008 Caribbean Cup runners-up, have also qualified for the finals of the regional competition again.
They will enter the competition with the knowledge that they made the biggest gain in the entire world rankings, moving up a whopping 34 places to 91st, which makes them the fourth-best nation in the CFU.