Jamaica's Jason Wright (right) dances around a Honduras defender during yesterday's CONCACAF Under-17 game between the two teams in Montego Bay. Wright scored both goals in Jamaica's 2-1 win. - Adrian Frater

Western Bureau:

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president captain Horace Burrell believes the joy experienced from the qualification of another youth World Cup is another example of the ability of sports to make a positive impact on the nation, but stressed that there was a lot to be done as the team prepare to take part in the event.

"We saw it in 1998 and we are seeing it again, if we give the people something positive to rally behind, you will see us at our finest," said Burrell, following the team's win.

"Look at the happiness on the faces of the people ... it is all happiness ... this is the power of sports and those who can help the development of sports need to take note of what we are seeing today."

"We are going to require a lot of help from both government and the private sector, if we are to achieve the objectives that we have for these youngsters," Burrell added.

"Part of the plan is to keep them together as a unit and that is going to take some financing."

With schooling likely to be impacted by the players staying together in camps, Burrell said the JFF will have to find the resources to bring in tutors so that the players' academics will not suffer. He noted that Jamaica now has a solid core of young players, who the nation needs to nurture towards greatness.

"These youngsters represent the future of national football ... if we work with them and they progress as we hope, they could be the ones to take us back to a senior World Cup," said Burrell.

Burrell

Veteran coach Bradley Stewart believes that the success of the young Reggae Boyz is a reflection of Jamaica's immense talent pool, and the quality of the coaches helping to bring the talent through.

"For a small nation with economic deficiencies, we must be doing something right to be achieving these kinds of results," said Stewart, the assistant coach of the national senior team.

"We are definitely blessed with very good talent and it is clear that we have the coaches here to work with these players and getting them to excel."

For victorious coach Wendell Downswell the success of his youngsters boiled down to one important fact, self belief.

"We knew it was not going to be easy but we started out believing it could happen," said Downswell.

"We put in the hard work, motivated the players and once they started believing, we knew that it would happen."