NO HARD FEELINGS
Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson says there is no grudge towards centre back Ethan Pinnock, who was absent from the national senior men’s football team at the Concacaf Gold Cup tournament this summer, but featured in a pre-season friendly match for his club.
Pinnock was named in Jamaica’s 23-man squad to the tournament which was played across the United States of America (USA) this month but was absent because of a family matter.
When naming the squad, Hallgrímsson told the media that Pinnock was allowed to arrive at the camp later than other players because his wife had given birth to their fourth child and had post-partum complications. Hallgrímsson said that he would have joined the squad once the matter was resolved but that did not happen.
“Everything was going well but there were some complications with his wife, after the birth, after coming home, so it’s a critical situation,” Hallgrímsson said on June 19. “Normally a coaching staff would say it’s personal reasons but we both agree that we should share it with you guys now.
“There’s nothing more important in life than your family, so football will be put aside at this time but we are monitoring the situation, so we’ll take it day by day, we are in good communication. As soon as we think it’s the appropriate time and everything is okay, he will join us. So hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later. He sincerely wants to come but we all understand the situation as it is.”
Pinnock since featured for his English Premier League club Brentford, in a pre-season friendly match against fellow London side Boreham Wood, who hosted the game at Meadow Park. This was on the same day of Jamaica’s 3-0 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup semi-final.
Hallgrímsson was asked about Pinnock’s absence after the game and said that it was possible Pinnock chose instead to play for Brentford because of their proximity to home.
“We talked about it very openly,” Hallgrímsson said. “Normally, it’s just personal reasons, but we explained why he didn’t or couldn’t come and join us. We were hoping all the time that he would come at some point. But it’s easier to go and play in England when you’re in England than coming to the USA and spending a week or 10 days and leaving your family that needs your support but you can always go a few hours to play a game in England. That is understandable, there’s no grudge from us to Ethan. He was really considering coming if these circumstances were better. We, of course, wouldn’t have selected him if he wasn’t coming but things happen in life that are bigger than football and we have all the respect for Ethan.”
Brentford will, however, be travelling to the USA for its pre-season preparations. They play Fulham in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 23, then Brighton and Hove Albion three days later in Atlanta Georgia, before finishing the Premier League Summer Series against Aston Villa in Summerfield, Maryland.
Whether Pinnock goes with the club to the USA remains to be seen but being one of the club’s key defenders, he would be expected to travel as these games are being used to prepare for Brentford’s start to the English Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, August 13.