KOBE, Japan — Seven English-based Reggae Boyz arrived at the ANA Crowne Hotel here on Thursday, joining 10 of their teammates. 

They are Reading Captain and centre back Liam Moore, Wigan Athletic defender Curtis Tilt, Rotherham United defender Wes Harding, Blackburn United defender Amari Bell, Watford striker Andre Gray, Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Dillon Barnes and Allsvenskan club Östersunds FK Winger Blair Turgott.  

Barnes and Turgott are debutantes. 

Two other English-based players — the Bristol City pair of defender Adrian Mariappa and midfielder Kasey Palmer — had not yet arrived at the time of posting. 

They were delayed arriving in Japan due to them not having the approved negative COVID-19 test result certificate, which left the Boyz short in numbers to face Japan on Thursday in the first of three friendly matches. That game had to be cancelled. 

The Boyz will open instead with a game against Serbia on Monday, June 7, and then close out their tour with a match against Japan’s Olympic team on June 12. 

It appears that USA-based attacker Junior Flemmings, who was also scheduled to arrive on Thursday, may not make the trip.  

Meanwhile, Belgium-based Shamar Nicholson, who is said to be nursing a hamstring injury, was “afforded time to have it sorted out”.  

Another Belgium-based player, Tyreek Magee, is said to have returned home to Jamaica for reasons still to be determined.  

However, the 10 players who travelled from Jamaica, or through points of the USA on Sunday and who arrived in Japan on schedule on Monday, are Luca Levee, Javon East, Dennis Taylor, Damion Lowe, Jeadine White, Devon Williams, Kevaughn Isaacs, Kemal Malcolm, Kevon Lambert and Oniel Fisher.  

So far, there will only be 17 players available to Head Coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore for a planned training session on Thursday. 

Sean Williams