Jamaica’s friendly international football match against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions is being hailed as providing opportunities for both players and coaching staff.

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts sees the November 9 fixture in the west-central African nation as a ripen moment for local-based players to take the stage in a form of audition for the Heimir Hallgrimsson-led coaching staff.

On the flip side, the newly signed Icelandic coach will have a chance to observe local-based talent in a high-intensity competitive environment.

Furthermore, Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday that the match fits into a broader preparation programme for the team with important assignments on the horizon.

The 64th-ranked Reggae Boyz will face the 50th-rated World Cup-bound Cameroon at the Stade Omnisport Ahmadou Ahidja next Wednesday. This will be the Boyz’s first game since their 3-0 loss to Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina on September 27 in New Jersey.

“This game forms part of our overall preparation as we look to upcoming important assignments like the Nations League, Gold Cup and the World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

“This game will also give our new coach the opportunity to look at our local talent, so he can make a proper assessment,” Ricketts said.

The JFF boss says his organisation will be pursuing a robust campaign to provide the senior team with as many high-quality games as possible.

“We are going after as many of these games as possible as we want to give opportunities to all eligible players — local and foreign-born — the chance to showcase what they have to offer.

“Hopefully, the young local-based players who will have the opportunity to represent their country in the upcoming match against Cameroon will seize the moment and will grow with the programme,” Ricketts noted.

As the local group of players jetted out of the country on Thursday on their long aerial trip to the African continent, the JFF’s top elected official sees the experience that will accrue as vital to the overall development of the consummate international.

“This trip to Cameroon will be an important learning experience for the players as well as they will be travelling to a faraway country in possibly tough conditions, and they will find themselves in environments that are not necessarily familiar to them. This, as far as I am concerned, is part of what it is to play at this level and it’s important that they learn this as soon as possible,” Ricketts said.

With the match being played outside of the official Fifa window for international matches, the 20-man squad is made up of exclusively local-based players and US-based professionals.

Jamaica’s Europe-based players would be unavailable due to club commitments.

Veteran left-back Kemar “Taxi” Lawrence, who has been out of the team for a spell, has been invited for the fixture, but up to press time there was no “final confirmation that he will travel”.

Meanwhile the full squad includes Alwayne Harvey (Mount Pleasant), Colorado Murray (Harbour View FC), Damion Lowe (Inter Miami), Demario Phillips (Mount Pleasant), Devon Williams (Miami FC), Dwayne Atkinson (Cavalier SC), Jahmali Waite (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Jamoi Topey (Mount Pleasant), Javain Brown (Vancouver Whitecaps), Jourdain Fletcher (NEROCA FC), Kevon Lambert (Phoenix Rising), Lamar Walker (Miami FC), Maliek Howell (Memphis Tigers), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden FC), Richard King (Cavalier SC), Kemar Foster (Waterhouse FC), Kemar Lawrence (Minnesota FC), Peter McGregor (Dunbeholden), Justin McMaster (Minnesota FC), and Trivante Stewart (Mount Pleasant).

Meanwhile, Ricketts revealed that the screws were being tightened on the planning of the two friendly matches between Jamaica’s World Cup-bound Reggae Girlz and Australia/New Zealand aspirants Paraguay.

The first match will be played at Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall, St James on November 10 with an 8:00 pm kick off, while the other is set for Kingston’s National Stadium three days later. That game gets underway at 6:00 pm.

“We have been meeting with the local organising committee and all our stakeholders…we have been inspecting venues and the various municipalities have been giving us as much as they can.

“I am satisfied that we are well on our way for a successful staging of these two matches. Already we have taken care of 50 per cent of airfare bookings for our players, and with a week to go or so, we are confident we will be well ahead as far as this is concerned,” noted Ricketts, who will forego the trip to Africa to focus on business at home.

He said the JFF’s promotions and events machinery is at full rev into bringing awareness to the game, and the history-making Girlz.

“We have been working hard also on promoting the games with our partners with this kind of expertise, and I am confident that we will be able to get the fans out to support our World Cup-bound Girlz,” Ricketts ended.

Tickets for the matches are due to go on sale today at both match venues. In Montego Bay, tickets can be purchased also at Western Sports and Fontana, while Kingston supporters can grab theirs at Total New Kingston, Total Stanton Terrace, Fesco Portmore, Fesco Beechwood, Fontana Barbican, and Fontana Waterloo. Grandstand tickets go for $2,000, bleachers $1,000, but students with school identification will be accommodated in the bleachers’ sections for $500.