Bright future! .. Waite praises U20 team after impressive WCQ effort

Jamaica's national Under-20 coach Jerome Waite has questioned the current Concacaf Under-20 World Cup qualifying tournament format, after the Jamaican team was eliminated on goal difference by Mexico, who topped their group in a tournament where only the six group winners progressed to the second round.

Waite said he could not see the sense in this format and called for it to be revamped.

"Congratulations to the boys, they did extremely well, but I think the format is questionable. In a tournament of this magnitude, you can't just have the six (group) winners advancing. It don't make any sense. Not even in the World Cup they have such things. So I think they need to revamp what they are doing," Waite told STAR Sports after the team returned to the island through the Norman Manley International Airport last night.

BETTERGOAL DIFFERENCE

Jamaica and Mexico finished tied atop Group B on 13 points, after five matches each. However, the Mexicans took the only available spot from the group by virtue of a better goal difference with a +29 goal difference, compared to Jamaica's +21 goal difference.

Despite the disappointment of not making the play-off round, Waite believes the future is bright for this crop of players.

"You have to lift your hats to these players because they have done extremely well. The general team rose above expectations, as no one expected them to do so well, especially against powerhouses Mexico," he added.

"But the players applied themselves to the highest level and a lot of things were asked by the Mexico players after the game. (They) asked if the Jamaican team was a professional team, but when they heard that it was the first we were assembling, they were pretty shocked. These players are ones for the future," Waite shared.