The show must go on, says Ricketts, as ‘Tappa’ names local training squad
JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts admitted yesterday that the Reggae Boyz will enter their next assignment, an international friendly against CONCACAF giants United States in just over a week’s time, in less than ideal circumstances.
The Boyz are set to face the US on March 25 at Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, without spectators.
But a yet-to-be-settled wage negotiation between the Reggae Boyz and the JFF has delayed Senior Reggae Boyz Head Coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore’s selection of a squad for the game.
Yet, Ricketts is looking for positives from the situation. “The show must go on,” he said.
“We will be missing some of our best players but this game provides a perfect opportunity for coach Whitmore to see other players who could possibly help to bolster his squad going forward. It is not a perfect situation but it could be useful.”
Yesterday Whitmore selected a largely locally based 15-man squad which is now in camp at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence. The JFF had received permission from the Government to host the training camp.
Some members of this group will join the available foreign-based players for the game. The contingent was chosen from the best available players.
Every member within the local campsite, including technical, ancillary and administrative, underwent COVID-19 tests yesterday and all received negative results except one player, who is now isolating at home.
The local contingent is scheduled to leave the island this weekend, while the foreign-based players will fly directly to Austria by Monday.
The foreign-based members of the squad will be made public today.
Jamaica’s most recent friendly international outings came last November in a two-match series away to Saudi Arabia.
The Boyz lost the first match 0-3 before rebounding with a 2-1 win in the second encounter.
Below are the names of players in camp: Colorado Murray (Waterhouse FC), Akeem Chambers (Waterhouse FC), Ricardo Thomas (Waterhouse FC), Kevaughn Isaacs (Mount Pleasant), Kemar Beckford (Mount Pleasant), Chavany Willis (Portmore United), Emelio Rousseau (Portmore United), Ricardo Morris (Portmore United), Lamar Walker (Miami FC), Jahshaun Anglin (Miami FC), Luca Levee (Harbour View FC), Javoy Belnavis (UWI), Dennis Taylor (Humble Lion), Trayvone Reid (Tivoli Gardens FC), Jeadine White (Cavalier SC).
