After watching the most disappointing display by Jamaica's Reggae Boyz in their two-way FIFA World Cup qualifier against Nicaragua, I am sure I would not be shedding any tears for the team had they not managed to scrape through 4-3 on aggregate to keep the Russia 2018 dream alive.

In reflecting on the team's stellar performances in the recent Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments, what I saw against Nicaragua was offensive, if not insulting.

The performance was not only uninspiring, but also a big letdown, after raising so many hopes with classy performances against teams such as Argentina.

While accepting that Jamaica was without our best three players - Gareth McCleary, Wes Morgan and Jobi McAnuff - I cannot fathom that with all the scouting that coach Winfried Schäfer has done over the past two years, we are so badly lacking in depth that, without these three players, brilliance suddenly becomes mediocre.

What makes the situation even more worrisome is the fact that, because of the nature of our local Red Stripe NPL, it would be an exercise in futility to look locally to strengthen the team. As I have stated many times, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is doing a disservice to the nation by persisting with this nonsensical league.

Playing style

Another concern I have about the team, especially in regards to what was seen against Nicaragua, is the absence of playing style. There appears to be no general pattern and, as a consequence, the team seems to be feeling its way around as it moves along, which does not speak well for cohesiveness.

In terms of personnel, I am worried about defender Kemar Lawrence, who, despite his youthful exuberance, has some bad habits that need to be rectified quickly. This locking of his hands behind his back whenever he is about to challenge an attacker in the penalty area is causing him to lose momentum and balance, which reduces his effectiveness.

I also believe that Lawrence needs to understand that his primary responsibility to the team is to operate as a defender, as while he might look good going forward, his action is creating unnecessary pressure on players like Michael Hector, who is sometimes left with far too much to do and, at times, gets blamed wrongfully for errors that originated with Lawrence.

Another area of concern to me is the absence of an offensive plan by coach Schäfer, who is seemingly not fully aware of the players' capabilities, or does not have enough confidence in them to allow them the freedom to express themselves on the field of play.

Express themselves

In watching international football over the past 40 years, the players I have seen achieve the most are the ones who were given latitude to express themselves with the ball.

Some of the players who have sparkled offensively for Jamaica in recent times - Walter Boyd, Onandi Lowe (when he played on the forward line) and Paul 'Tegat' Davis - scored a lot of goals, and were helped by the fact that they were given the latitude to inject their personal creativity into their play.

Purists may argue that the strength of a team is the collective, so the emphasis should be on the unit, with all 11 players being seen as equals.

Personally, I do not subscribe to that view. I believe some players are more special than others, and that is why Diego Maradona, Pele and Lionel Messi are so highly revered globally.

If we are to bounce back strongly from our inauspicious start against Nicaragua, coach Schäfer will need to settle on a playing style that fits the team's temperament, get players such as Lawrence to shed his bad habits, and give more freedom to creative players.

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