TRELAWNY, Jamaica — Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore, head coach of the national senior outfit, was a picture of confidence after guiding his team through a second training session at the Noranda Sports Club facilities yesterday.

Whitmore, whose team suffered back-to-back defeats, at home and away, to Panama on May 27 and June 1 following a five-game unbeaten streak since the turn of the year, yesterday told the Jamaica Observer the players have bounced back nicely heading into Friday’s opening CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying game against Guatemala at the National Stadium at 8:30 pm.

“Things have really been positive,” he beamed at the end of the evening session which lasted about 90 minutes.

“The players have been responding accordingly and I’m really pleased with what I have seen since returning from Panama,” he added.

The coach, who has come under fire from sections of the society in recent weeks for what is perceived to be experimental team selections, coupled with the losses to Panama, said team chemistry has not been a problem.

“The team chemistry isn’t a problem,” he reiterated. “It is just for the group of players with the determination, focus, belief and hunger to make it pay off. When you look at this group of players, most of them have been together from the Gold Cup (last summer), so they’re no stranger to each other and to what we’re doing, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Of the 24 members in training, two — Ricardo Fuller (jarred leg) and Xavian Virgo (groin injury) — sat out yesterday’s double session, while Demar Phillips took part in the early session but was excused from the late practice, suffering from a bout of the flu. Jermaine Taylor, who is suspended from Friday’s game, suffered a slight knock on Monday and missed yesterday’s early practice, but was good in the second session.

During the afternoon session, Nyron Nosworthy felt his hamstring tighten and as a precautionary move, was excused from the remainder of the session.

Team doctor Carl Fraser told the Observer the injuries and illness were no cause for concern. “Basically, I don’t see any real injury or illness that would precipitate any pull-outs at this point,” he noted.

Meanwhile, physical trainer Andre Waugh had an extensive session with the players in the morning before they were taken through tactical drills by Whitmore and his assistant Alfredo Montesso.

It was more of the same in the evening, with the three goalkeepers — Donovan Ricketts, Dwayne Miller and Jacomeno Barrett — being fed a series of high balls into the area by goalkeeping coach Armando Bracali.

Since returning to the island on Sunday, the players have been taken through sessions on Sunday evening, Monday, twice yesterday; they are scheduled for one today, another at the game venue tomorrow, before facing Guatemala on Friday, with Whitmore sure in his mind what the starting team will be like.

“There are no two ways about it. We have a team from we returned from Panama and we’ve been working on a settled 11 with one and two options, but we’re pretty much clear with the team for Friday,” he told the Observer.

Training squad: Donovan Ricketts, Dwayne Miller, Jacomeno Barrett, Demar Phillips, Xavian Virgo, Nyron Nosworthy, Damion Stewart, Adrian Mariappa, Claude Davis, Lovell Palmer, Jermaine Taylor, Rohan Reid, Ewan Grandison, Joel Senior, Errol Stevens, Keammar Daley, Luton Shelton, Ryan Johnson, Ricardo Fuller, Je-Vaughn Watson, Dane Richards, Tremaine Stewart, Rudolph Austin and Jason Morrison.