Sport

Goodison out - Brown

By DARAINE LUTON, Freelance Writer

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR CARL Brown last night confirm that veteran defender Ian Goodison, has been ruled out of the Reggae Boyz match against Haiti this Saturday but is banking on the strike force he has assembled to step up and deliver the goods for in the absence of goal-scoring machine Onandi Lowe.

The gem of Jamaica's 1998 World Cup campaign, Deon Burton, along with New York/New Jersey MetroStars marksman Fabian Taylor, Major League Soccer rookie of the year Damani Ralph, Marlon King and Ricardo Fuller are the strikers in training ahead of Saturday's encounter.

Lowe, who has been Jamaica's most consistent striker in recent years, has not played for Jamaica since netting for Jamaica in the Boyz 2-2 tie with Honduras at the National Stadium on March 31. Brown has said the decision to omit the big striker from his squad was more of a personal one rather than football.

"Everybody knows the situation that surrounds Onandi," Brown said, referring to the drug accusations brought against the striker in England.

Personal interest

"I do believe, that on a personal point of view, in terms of his own personal interest, his mind would not be on football at this time. We just see it fit not to include him at this time in the group.

"With the circumstances that surround him right now, I believe it would not be best to get him into the team at the moment," Brown said.

Since Lowe last played, Jamaica has only managed two goals in three outings including a 2-1 win over Venezuela at home. New boy Marlon King and Andy Williams scored.

However, Jamaica failed to score a goal in the other two games, losing 0-2 and 0-1 to Nigeria and the Republic of Ireland respectively in the Unity Cup in London.

Brown admitted Lowe's absence has affected the team's strike force but he is of the view that the five forwards invited to the camp can deliver the goods.

"About six months ago we looked at the group and we saw the composition of the strike force that we had and it looked very, very healthy. Circumstances have happened within the last six weeks or so that really have turned that around.

"The loss of Onandi Lowe, no Ricardo Fuller. These are our two strikers that started in that game against Uruguay and you felt that if we had to play Haiti the following week that these are the two players that will be there.

"Now we are seeing Ricardo Fuller just recovering from an operation and he is looking better day by day. Marlon King has come on board and he is doing pretty well. We have Deon Burton, Fabian Taylor and Damaini Ralph.

"That is the composition...the five strikers that we have here at the moment and glad to say they are all looking pretty sharp and working pretty well."

On Monday, the Boyz' preparation was unsettled somewhat after injury forced American-based defender Tyrone Marshall to be omitted from the training camp.

However, Marshall aside, Brown told STAR Sports there were a few niggling injuries in the camp and the Boyz are ready and raring to go.

"The reaction from the players has been very good. They seem committed to everything that we are here to do. They are totally aware of the task at hand."