As Hubert Busby settles into his new role as head coach of the senior Reggae Girlz he is optimistic that the off-field distractions will be left out the door during his tenure.

Busby, who acted as the goalkeeper coach in the Hue Menzies-led technical staff in the Reggae Girlz’s historic appearance at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in France, is intent on maintaining a positive outlook, irrespective of the manner in which he was appointed.

The former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper was promoted to lead the team for the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifiers scheduled for January 28 to February 9, after Menzies vacated the position due to a number of unresolved issues, including unpaid salaries, with the governing Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

Menzies’ assistant Lorne Donaldson, who was at the helm for the Caribbean phase of the Olympic qualifiers in Jamaica last September, was overwhelmingly favoured to take up the mantle, but he declined the post as a result of JFF’s refusal to pay Menzies in full.

It is understood that the JFF, with assistance from Girlz ambassador Cedella Marley, has settled 80 per cent of the contractual salary payments due to the coaches and support staff.

“Obviously, this is a great opportunity that I’m honoured to take on behalf of my country. It is a tough task, in the sense that we don’t have a lot of time, but I’m sure we’ll be able to do our best in the next couple weeks in preparation.

“The issues surrounding Hue and Lorne, obviously it’s difficult and those are situations that I hope are resolved in short order,” Busby told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

“I think, you know, the most important thing now is to put away the distractions and for all of us to get behind the team. And that’s what I want the country to know for sure, that all the things aside, we’re all Jamaicans, we all want the team to do well and I think that’s where the focus needs to be shifted to now.

“Our ambassador Cedella Marley and her support staff have been good, especially in light of what’s transpired. So again, we’re hopeful that things can be worked out because I think it’s important just to kind of move forward with everything. So far in the last 24 hours, it [discussions] has been good and I hope it remains that way,” he added.

Though his appointment qualifies as a trial run of sorts, which could later become a a permanent arrangement, Busby said he is not overly concerned about what transpires after the tournament.

“I’m not looking past the qualifiers, I think. Once the qualifiers end, there can always be some discussions and sit down in terms of what that looks like. But as for now, really it’s me stepping into a role and I’m just here to do my job as I did before, along with the rest of the support staff, to do what’s best for the programme and do what’s best for our country, and ultimately, the players,” declared Busby.

“The players are always concerned [about changes] because obviously they want continuity and there’s been a good camaraderie amongst the staff. With that said, you know, they are professionals at this level and they understand that changes are made and they just want to be supportive in the best way possible so that they can give themselves and the country the best chance of qualifying for Tokyo,” he added.

While qualifying for the Olympics is not beyond the Girlz, the task of doing so has become increasingly difficult, as Busby and his assistant Andrew Price, as well as fitness trainer Will Hitzelberger and physical trainer Jason ‘Buju’ Henry, are caught in a race against time to whip the team into tournament shape.

Plans are currently being finalised for a practice game and a pre-tournament camp to be held in Houston, Texas, starting January 17.

“I stated where we don’t have a lot of time; we’ve got about eight days and about 16 hours of training sessions. So it’s not an awful lot of time. I think the one saving grace is that the core of this group from France is intact, and so hopefully, we can grow from that experience that we had in France and do well in Edinburgh at the end of the month,” Busby noted.

The Jamaicans will be in familiar territory for the qualifiers as Edinburgh was the host city for their group games during the World Cup qualifying campaign.

They will also face familiar foes in powerhouses Canada and Mexico, as well as their much-improved Caribbean counterparts St Kitts and Nevis in Group B action at HEB Park.

World champions United States, Costa Rica, Panama and Haiti will contest Group A at the BBVA Stadium, in Houston.

“I think, realistically, heading into this competition everyone goes in with the idea that you want to be successful and that doesn’t change. We’ve got three very good teams: Canada being one of the top teams in the world; Mexico is in a transition phase, but they’re always very good and they have a lot of resources… and they’re a very experienced side that has a lot to prove.

“And of course, St Kitts and Nevis is a surging power in the Caribbean that we can’t take lightly, as well. So yeah, we know, we’ve got a huge task ahead of us, but I know that the players and the staff are up for the challenge,” noted Busby, who is also head coach and general manager for Seattle Sounders Women.