Western Bureau:

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the group of Brazilian coaches who are now attached to the national football programme. In fact, if I had my way, they would have long been dispatched on a flight back to South America.

Unlike the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), which for unknown reasons, seems to have faith in the Brazilians, albeit having done nothing of consequence since their arrival, I think we would be better served using a few of our local coaches.

Based on what I have seen of the Brazilians, their only claim to fame seems to be the fact that they are from Brazil, which is the most successful nation in senior football. While it is true that our greatest moment in football so far came under a Brazilian coach, this bunch are clearly no Rene Simoes.

Interestingly, while I have no faith in the Brazilians in the national programme, including the one who recently jumped ship without the knowledge or consent of the JFF, there is one Brazilian that has caught my attention; that person is Nedier dos Santos, the coach of Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) outfit Montego Bay United Football Club (MBUFC).

While I am not suggesting for a moment that he should be drafted into the national programme, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that based on the transformation that has taken place at MBUFC under his guidance, dos Santos is clearly a coach with the capacity to teach, motivate, and get players to produce.

When the 2011/12 NPL season started, there was no question that MBUFC had quality players in their ranks. The problem was that while they were not suffering any embarrassing defeats, the players were not producing, and for the most part, looked quite ordinary.

Since the arrival of dos Santos, the players seem to have changed gear. They are far more organised and their decision-making on the field has improved leaps and bounds. Perhaps, most importantly, they no longer look like an ordinary team but more like a unit ready to go places.

The improvement in the players has simply been phenomenal. Instead of the drowsy appearance at the start of the season, many of the players are now looking like potential national players, ready to kick down the proverbial door to the national selection room.

A prime example is striker Mauricio Gordon, who was uninspiring, to say the least, while he was at Village United last season. From being a mediocre player, he has suddenly become a goal-scoring machine, scoring goals almost at will. Former schoolboy football stars Fabian McCarthy, Jermaine Woozencraft, and Allan Ottey, who had seemingly lost their passion, are now looking as sharp as ever.

While I will not say MBUFC is the best team in Jamaica, or that they are more likely to win the league than any of the other 11 teams in the RSPL, based on what I have seen of them in recent games, I am convinced that they are the team playing the best football in the country.

If the JFF is hell-bent on keeping a Brazilian influence in national football, I would suggest that they head back to Brazil and try to find more coaches with the technical and tactical know-how of coach dos Santos. Personally, I want to see coaches whose influence can be seen on the field of play.

Feel free to send your feedback to adrianfrater@hotmail.com.