National senior men’s football team Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson says Grenada should not be viewed as easy opponents when the Reggae Boyz meet them in St George’s on Thursday evening.

The Jamaicans are to continue their campaign in Group A of the Concacaf Nations League A with the first of two away games in four days this evening.

After a 1-0 win over Honduras, then a 2-2 draw with Haiti, both at home last month, Jamaica tops the group on four points. But there were criticisms about the team’s performance against Haiti, whom many fans and pundits said Jamaica should have not only beaten but easily won because of their perceived status in Concacaf. Hallgrímsson disagreed with this, saying the team played well in that game but was “slapped in the face” by two goals in the first 15 minutes of the match.

There is potential for such criticism when Jamaica, ranked 56th in the world, plays Grenada, ranked 173rd. In the 11 times the teams have met since 1997, Jamaica has won nine games and drawn one. In spite of this record, Grenada has proven more difficult to break down than fans would have expected. Hallgrímsson says he is aware of this, especially because the history between the teams has been explained to him, his technical staff and players alike, by Assistant Coach Merron Gordon.

“We have done our homework on them, it’s been Merron’s job,” Hallgrímsson said recently. “He knows about them from the past as well. He is educating us as newcomers, so it’s really good to have a Jamaican-born coach on staff. Also, to give that information to the players.

“I think when you play a match like this, it’s to give everything from minute one, to play with urgency. You need to have a lot of patience in your backpack for games like this. Maybe like against Haiti, we’ll be slapped in the face in the beginning.”

Gordon says close games between Jamaica and teams of Grenada’s stature are expected because their opponents see the Reggae Boyz as the standard-bearer for football in the region.

“Playing against any Caribbean team, Jamaica is like a measuring stick,” he said. “They use us to know exactly where their programme is, so it’s a tough, tough encounter for us. Grenada will not lay down and die against a Jamaica team, even though their head-to-head so far [has not been good].

“The games sometimes are not close; the games sometimes are battles that we must win but that first game will be a good game for us to start off positively and try to get three points. But I don’t think they’re going to be a walkover. I think just like we are planning for them, they are planning for us.”

Jamaica’s last three opponents, including Mexico at the Concacaf Gold Cup last summer, all had new coaches who were still trying to establish their systems with the team. That is also the case with Grenada, who appointed Englishman Terry Connor in May. Gordon rates him highly.

“Terry Connor is a very experienced coach who has worked with top teams such as Ipswich [Town] and Wolves [Wolverhampton Wanderers] in England,” Gordon said. “He’s a very organised man. Where Grenada is right now, a coach like this is very good for them.”

Young striker Dujuan Richards was initially excluded from selection when the squad was named on Friday, with Hallgrímsson saying he had to be dropped because of his inactivity, not officially being signed to a club. Hallgrímsson said this is keeping consistent with his selection policy as Richards cannot sign or play for English Premier League’s Chelsea until he turns 18. But Richards has since been added because of an injury to a striker which the Jamaica Football Federation would not name, except to say it was not Michail Antonio, who will play one of these two games.

Hallgrímsson is likely to start with goalkeeper and Captain Andre Blake although he has Kemar Foster and Jahmali Waite as other options in goal.

In defence, Damion Lowe is expected to start, but Hallgrímsson could choose from Adrian Mariappa, Di’Shon Bernard, and Michael Hector, who was named to the side for the first time in over two years, to partner him. Greg Leigh could start at left back in place of Amari’I Bell, who was not selected because of injury. Dexter Lembikisa also returns to the squad after a recent injury and is likely to start, although Hallgrímsson could select Javain Brown or youngster Tayvon Gray ahead of him.

Joel Latibeaudiere, who has played every game in defensive midfield since his debut last summer, is expected to continue there but could be partnered there by debutant Karoy Anderson or the more seasoned Daniel Johnson or Kevon Lambert.

Hallgrímsson has a number of options in attack with Richards and Antonio to be considered with some combination of either Demarai Gray, Leon Bailey, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Demario Phillips, Shamar Nicholson, Romario Williams, and Renaldo Cephas.

This evening’s game is to kick off at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium at 6:00 pm Jamaica time.