England-based Bailey, Antonio, Morrison set for Boyz return
England-based players Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio and Ravel Morrison are set to rejoin the Reggae Boyz fold for Jamaica’s two World Cup qualifiers this month.
The trio made the cut in a 24-member squad named by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) for the November 12 assignment away to El Salvador and the home contest against the United States four days later.
The 24-year-old Bailey, who plays for Aston Villa in the English Premier League, last featured for the Boyz at the Concacaf Gold Cup in the summer. The outstanding wide attacker recovered from a thigh injury to start in Villa’s 1-4 loss to West Ham United on Sunday.
West Ham forward Antonio, 31, did not find the back of the net on Sunday, but is his team’s top scorer this season with six goals. His much-anticipated Boyz debut in September was one to forget as Jamaica were humiliated 0-3 by Panama in Kingston.
He subsequently declined an invitation during last month’s window of three qualifiers because his request to have his personal physiotherapist travel for the games (at the player’s expense) was denied by a member of the technical staff. That impasse has been settled and Antonio is expected to travel with his physio to El Salvador.
Morrison, 28, who is signed to Derby County in the second-tier English Championship, has not donned the black, green and gold since the debacle against Panama two months ago. The talented former Manchester United and West Ham midfielder was substituted at half-time by Head Coach Theodore Whitmore as the Jamaicans endured a particularly horrendous first half.
The Reggae Boyz, whose only appearance at the Fifaq World Cup Finals came at France 1998, are sixth in the eight-team final round of Concacaf qualifying with five points from six matches.
Mexico lead with 14 points, ahead of United States (11), Canada (10), and Panama (eight), Costa Rica (six), El Salvador (five), and Honduras (three).
The Concacaf octagonal comprises teams playing in a round robin, home and away format. Each team is to contest 14 matches.
The top three nations in the table will progress automatically to the 2022 World Cup, with the fourth-place finisher heading to an intercontinental play-off for one more spot to Qatar.
Jamaica’s match against the US is scheduled to be played 24 years to the day the Reggae Boyz drew 0-0 with Mexico in Kingston to seal qualification to the ’98 World Cup.
Jamaica squad — Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Dillon Barnes (Queens Park Rangers), Jeadine White (Cavalier), Liam Moore (Reading), Adrian Mariappa (Bristol City), Damion Lowe (Al-Ittihad), Kemar Lawrence (Toronto), Oniel Fisher (LA Galaxy), Gregory Leigh (Morecambe), Alvas Powell (Philadelphia Union), Anthony Grant (Swindon Town), Ravel Morrison (Derby County), Lamar Walker (Miami), Devon Williams (Miami), Je-Vaughn Watson (Humble Lions), Bobby Reid (Fulham), Junior Flemmings (Birmingham Legion), Cory Burke (Philadelphia Union), Javon East (Santos de Guapiles), Shamar Nicholson (RSC Charleroi), Andre Gray (Queens Park Rangers), Michail Antonio (West Ham United), Kemar Roofe (Rangers), Leon Bailey (Aston Villa).
— Sanjay Myers