BARNES... shortlisted as new Reggae Boyz coach

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Crenston Boxhill has denied a British newspaper report which claims that Jamaican-born former England international John Barnes is the new head coach of the Reggae Boyz.

British newspaper The Sun yesterday published a very misty report in its online edition claiming that "John Barnes is back in football management as boss of Jamaica's controversial Reggae Boyz".

However, when contacted last night, Boxhill told the Observer that that story is "news" to him.

Boxhill. when we select the coach, we are going to announce it here first

"I'm hearing it for the first time," said the JFF president. "No, I don't know nothing about that.

"One thing I can assure you is that when we select the coach, you won't read it in any foreign paper, because we are going to be announcing it for the first time here in Jamaica," Boxhill added with authority.

This is now the second time in a month that a UK-based tabloid has made such a claim.

"Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson had been linked with the job - but Barnes will be unveiled in the next few days," The Sun's story that didn't have a byline read in part yesterday.

The story further asserted that Barnes "is inheriting a squad in disarray", citing an incident involving striker Marlon King and the Boxhill-led federation on their UK tour recently.

Earlier in July, The Independent newspaper purported that the JFF was set to make a £3 million-a-year bid for former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson to guide Jamaica's national senior team.

Barnes' name entered the public domain after The Independent made the claim about ex-England coach Eriksson.

Boxhill subsequently revealed that Barnes was one of the candidates on the JFF's shortlist to develop the country's football.

Getting the Reggae Boyz to the 2010 World Cup South Africa is also on the cards. In the meantime, Boxhill, assured the Observer that an announcement will be made once they have inked a deal for a foreign coach.

According to Boxhill: "As soon as it it finalised, like I said, we're gonna make the announcement... It's a process and as soon as the process is finalised, we are going to make the announcement.

"But to say we have a coach now and John Barnes is the coach, no, that is not so," reiterated the JFF president.

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