World Soccer - UK (2020-12)

henJacques Passy
movedtothe
Dominican Republic
inJanuary to take
charge of the
country’s team in
the Olympic qualifiers, he was, like all
new coaches, full of the possibilities
that lay ahead.
The Mexican soon took on the same
post for a national team in a good
position. In 2015, a professional league
was launched on the island. With the
players from that competition and
a huge diaspora in Spain courtesy
of enduring links from a period of
colonisation that ended two centuries
ago, Passy has a massive pool of more
than 350 players.
Then coronavirus struck.
The league was due to begin in
March but never kicked off. The Olympic
qualifiers were never staged and nobody
even knows when they will be. The
national team has not played since a
2-0 defeat to El Salvador in November
2019 and the start of World Cup
qualifying has been pushed back
to March 2021.
If a team starting in the first round –
like the Dominican Republic – qualifies
for the Octagonal and finishes fourth

to earn an Inter-confederation play-off,

that involves 22 matches. Between

March2021andthestartofthe

World Cup in Qatar, there are just

six international windows.

“We are making a different plan every

week,” sighs Passy. “I have no idea what

will happen.”

Even playing friendlies is problematic

as there are quarantines in around 30

CONCACAF members. Passy decided

against an October friendly with

Guatemala as he could not call on

European-based players as they may

face quarantine on returning home.

“We have less time to train with each

other, but I believe all the other teams

are in the same position as us and have

the same possibilities of qualifying,” says

defender Enmy Pena, who plays in

Malta for Valletta.

Playing three internationals in one

international window has been mooted

but travel in CONCACAF is complicated.

First round groups could end up being

playedinonevenueallatonce.

Passy is particularly frustrated

A long

journey

Coronavirus stalls

the progress of the

Caribbean nation

WORLD SERVICE

by the impact on the local league,

which was a big gamble for the local

federation but has been a big success.

Crowds were growing and teams faring

well in regional competitions. Cibao

and Atletico Pantoja won the Caribbean

Club Championship in 2017 and 2018

respectively, and both were well placed to

repeat that feat this year after reaching

the semi-finals before the virus stuck.

“The pro league was the best league

in the Caribbean from my point of view,”

says Passy. “The last three or four years,

players have been going abroad like

Dorny Romero, who just went to

Venados in Mexico. To have the league

suspended for a whole year after just

five seasons is having a huge impact.

Many players do not have contracts.

“Of course, no one is to blame.

The situation is the situation.”

All Passy can do is focus on Group D,

whenever that materialises. His team

should be capable of beating Barbados,

Dominica and Anguilla, but top seeds

Panama are a different proposition.

“Some people here think Panama

are non-achievable because they were

World Cup finalists in 2018 but I think

it’s a game we can win,” says Passy.

“I think we can win the group with the

team we are putting together.”

If Passy’s team do top Group D, they

may be setting off on a very long journey.

W

“We are making a different plan

every week. I have no idea what

will happen”

Jacques Passy, Dominican Republic coach

Dominican

Republic

STEVE MENARY

Competing...

Cibao played in

the2018CONCACAF

Champions League

In action...Dominican

Republic’s Enmy Pena

on the ball during his

country’s last game