KINGSTON, Jamaica – Head coach of Jamaica’s national senior men’s football team, Heimir Hallgrimsson has addressed the controversy surrounding the selection of Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey to the Reggae Boyz squad for the Copa America tournament and the star player’s subsequent decline of the invitation.

READ: Leon Bailey says no to Copa America call-up

There was some confusion on Wednesday evening after Bailey, who had months ago signalled that he was taking a break from international football after he was suspended by Hallgrimsson for breaking camp in November, was named in the team. A few hours later, Bailey and his agent Craig Butler said he was not interested in joining the squad.

READ: Suspended Reggae Boy Leon Bailey says he was about to take a break from national duty

In a video released by the Jamaica Football Federation on Thursday, Hallgrimsson said that the player had a right to opt out of the invitation and that it was time to move on.

“He decided not to want to play for Jamaica. That’s his decision. That’s every players’ right to refuse to play for the nation,” Hallgrimsson said. “He opted to do that, not to play for Jamaica and that is the end of story for me, absolutely end of story.”

Hallgrimsson said, “Now I would like everyone to focus on those players that want to play for Jamaica and want to represent Jamaica. Let’s put our focus and support to those players.”

He said Bailey was one of three players, along with injured captain and goalkeeper Andre Blake and also injured defender Omari Bell, who he said he was hoping would add some experience to the squad and not necessarily be thrown into the heat of battle from the start.

Addressing the squad, the Icelandic coach accepted there were “not many surprises in the selection, it’s more or less the players that we have played last year, year and a half.”

He described the selection as “A group of players that have done pretty well for Jamaica.”

He explained that teams taking part in the Copa America and the European Championships that is set to kick off on Friday, were allowed three additional players to the 23-member squads, but he said a 23-man squad was sufficient for Jamaica.

-Paul A Reid