Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson says the squad picked to face rivals Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in two football matches is geared at long-term planning.

Jamaica face T&T in the first of two unofficial matches in San Fernando, Trinidad, at 2:00 pm on Friday. The other takes place in Arima, Trinidad, on Sunday.

These matches follow a training camp convened by Hallgrímsson in January which featured players from the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League. It is not the first time Hallgrímsson has done this as his first two matches in Jamaica were against T&T in March last year after a similar camp.

Then, T&T won the first game 1-0 in Montego Bay on March 11, and ended in a 0-0 draw at the National Stadium in Kingston three days later.

Hallgrímsson has been criticised for not featuring enough local-based players in squads for competitive matches but he will argue that matches such as these allow him to gauge where local players stand in terms of getting into more competitive games for him.

Although it was thought that these two games were to have a look at possible additions to his squad for the Concacaf Nations League semi-final against the United States later this month, and Copa America this summer, Hallgrímsson says he is thinking further ahead.

“Mostly, it’s looking at the players we haven’t seen in action before, for me, that’s the main purpose,” Hallgrímsson said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon. “It’s a very young squad that we have — we probably would’ve had an even younger squad if the U20 team was not playing at the same time [in the Concacaf Men’s U20 Championship]. But the main purpose is to look at this squad and to see if they have the potential to be a part of the squad into 2026 or 2030 [when the next two FIFA World Cups will be staged], given most of these guys are around 20 years old. In 2030, they would even still be in their prime. Then we’ll take a decision on whether we keep working with those players in the short term or the long term.”

Fourteen of the 23 players in the squad are uncapped (no international appearance) and Hallgrímsson says that the performances in these two games are more important than the results. He has that convenience as unofficial matches do not affect FIFA Coca-Cola World Rankings.

“Although we like to win matches, the importance of winning is not, for me, the biggest thing,” he said. “There are players in Jamaica that, if winning was the most important thing, we would’ve brought here. But first and foremost, we’re working with players we haven’t been working with a lot and haven’t seen playing, and giving them a chance to show in action how good they are. That is basically it.”

The games will have unlimited substitutions and Hallgrímsson says this allows him to rotate freely and ensure that every player gets 90 minutes of action over both games. Some, he said will be given 30 or 40 minutes in one game and 60 or 50 in the other. Others such as those from Cavalier, who joined the squad late because of Concacaf Champions Cup duties, are likely to be rested in the first game.

As a rivalry exists between the teams, Hallgrímsson says he expects T&T to be physical and also competitive as their head coach, Angus Eve, may play a stronger squad as he prepares for Copa America qualification against Canada later this month.