SAINTE-LUCE, Martinique — Changes are mandated as Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz wrap up their Group I preliminary phase of the 2010 Digicel Caribbean Cup football tournament against Guyana here at the Riviere Pilote Sports Complex today at 9:00 pm (8:00 pm Jamaica time).

The Reggae Boyz have already assured themselves of group honours with maximum six points, three ahead of Antigua and Barbuda, with Guyana and Guadeloupe on one point.

In tonight’s first game at 6:45 pm (5:45 pm Jamaica time), Antigua and Barbuda and Guadeloupe engage each other in a battle which more than likely will confirm the runners-up to Jamaica.

Two changes have been forced — captain and sweeper Shavar Thomas and leading midfielder Rodolph Austin — due to yellow yard suspensions. Both players were booked in the opening two games and under tournament rules, must serve a suspension immediately upon receiving the second caution at any stage of the competition.

“We have the final game come Wednesday night and again we have to look at a number of changes. We have the skipper Shavar Thomas out and Rodolph Austin out and we will give the other players a chance to show what they have, so they have a decent opportunity and we don’t want to go into the last game and take anything for granted, we want to go out there and give a good performance and win the last game as well,” head coach Theodore Whitmore said.

The coaching staff must also be tinkering on how to use, if at all, central defender Adrian Reid and midfielder Richard Edwards, who are in danger of suspensions, should they receive another caution, having already been booked in the first game.

And Troy Smith is also on a yellow card caution, following his brief appearance in Monday night’s game.

Whitmore doesn’t want to take Guyana lightly.

“It is not what we think of the Guyana team, if you look at the Guyana vs Antigua game today (Monday), you could have actually fallen asleep, but once they are up against a Jamaica team it is going to be a totally different ball game, but as I said we will be making a number of changes and we just want the players going out there to apply themselves. We want to maintain the momentum going into the semi-finals, it is something we don’t want to lose, so we are going to go out there and give 100 per cent.”

The Boyz had a light stretching session at the hotel’s pool yesterday morning under the watchful eyes of physical trainer Andre Waugh, and were scheduled to hold a training session later in the evening.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s head coach, Wayne Dover all but threw in the towel when he spoke to the Observer yesterday afternoon.

“Well, first of all I am really disappointed that we find ourselves in this situation by having the strongest team in the entire competition to play last for a deciding spot.

“It is not the best position that we would want to be, but we will still try to be positive and hope to get something, more so the result that would move us forward,” he said.

He added: “It is not going to be any task like no way tomorrow (today) we could wake up and beat this team (Jamaica), it’s gonna be a tough task and it is one we are not too happy to be facing.

“We came here after knowing that this is the group that we were in and our optimism was that after the second game of this round we should be in a comfortable position knowing that we have Jamaica last. We didn’t want to be in a position like this.

“We were hoping to have acquired four points by now and face Jamaica and probably crowd the midfield and try to frustrate them and gain a point, but unfortunately we got to go looking for the win. We hope that the players in Jamaica would be tired by then, so that we can get a result (positive). It is just a big hope,” he said in laughter.

Dover, who has been with the Guyana football programme for more than five years, said his team will be at full strength, but was quick to point out that even with an unexpected win over Jamaica, his side would still need the result of the other game to go in his favour.

He said he even toyed with the idea of Jamaica resting some of the senior players ahead of the semi-finals, but was mindful that that scenario could also prove detrimental as most time reserve players are fresher and more eager to impress their coach for a place in the starting 11.