TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – It appears that Honduras has claimed the scalp of another Jamaican coach, as the Jamaica Observer understands that head coach of the senior Reggae Boyz team Theodore Whitmore will resign in a matter of hours.

Jamaica suffered a 0-2 loss to Honduras on Tuesday night here at the Tiburcio Carias Olympic Stadium in Tegucigalpa, the team’s fourth defeat in a row, which leaves it rooted at the bottom of the six-nation points standings on two points, eight adrift of the USA, who slammed Panama 2-0 at the CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. Costa Rica, who held hosts Mexico 0-0 at the Azteca for their fourth goalless result in the round, share second place on eight points, with Honduras next with seven points and Panama in fifth place on six points.

The top three teams earn automatic berths to the FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil next summer, and the fourth-placed team earns another shot at the showpiece event with a home-and-away playoff with the winner of the Oceania region.

At the team’s return to their Real Intercontinental Hotel last night, a serious-looking Jamaica Football Federation president had told members of the media that he was “contemplating a meeting” for later that night.

That comment sparked interest as it was here on September 6, 2001 that Captain Burrell announced the firing of then technical director of Jamaica’s football programme, Brazilian Clovis de Oliveira at zero one hundred hours (1:00 am) following a 0-1 loss to the home side, which effectively eliminated the Boyz from the 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Korea and Japan.

Then on September 11, 2008 the JFF boss made the announcement of the firing of another Brazilian Rene Simoes at the airport in San Pedro Sula, following a 0-2 loss and a string of poor performances from the team. Coincidentally, it was Whitmore, who was tasked with guiding the team for the three remaining matches in the campaign, which he duly won.

The Observer understands that Captain Burrell met with Whitmore, his assistant Braziloian Alfredo Montesso, Howard McIntosh, chairman of the technical committee, Michael Ricketts, head of delegation, and Raymond Grant, JFF general secretary here at the hotel early this morning where the coach was allegedly given a choice to resign or be fired.

An Observer source claims that a press conference is expected later today to announce the decision after Whitmore confirms his decision. It was not clear what decision was taken with Montesso, who was only recently announced as technical director of the football programmes.

Whitmore is reported to earn approximately J$ one million per month as head coach.