Former England Head Coach Steve McClaren “ticked all the boxes” said Rudolph Speid, chairman of the technical committee of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), after the 63-year-old Englishman was confirmed on Wednesday as the new head coach of the Jamaican men’s national senior team.

McClaren, an assistant coach to Erik ten Hag at many-time English Premier League team Manchester United who was overseeing the return of the club’s international players to preseason training at their Carrington training complex, is expected to arrive in Jamaica next week, the Jamaica Observer learned.

Speid said McClaren, who it was heard was also a top candidate for the Nigerian head coaching position, is not entirely new to the Jamaican situation.

“He has worked with us before as a consultant to FIFA and would have studied the entire Jamaican football eco system from schoolboy football all the way up.”

Speid pointed out that McClaren came with a wealth of football knowledge.

“He worked with [legendary former coach] Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, won the Dutch League, coached in the UEFA Champions League and has worked with big name players.

“[He] was referred to us, I knew of his work,” Speid said, noting that the JFF was not required to pay a ‘buy out fee’ to Manchester United despite the coach leaving mid contract.

Speid refused to say how much McClaren would be paid or if the package was comparable to the reported $75 million a year paid to Hallgrimsson, saying only, “We can afford him.”

McClaren coached the English national senior team between 2006 to 2007 but stepped down after failing to guide them to Euro 2008. He replaces Heimir Hallgrimsson who walked away from the job after a disastrous Copa America campaign last month. Hallgrimsson has since taken over the Irish head coaching job.

McClaren will have a short time to get up to pace with Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz who are to start their campaign in the 2024/2025 edition of the Concacaf Nations League on September 6 against Cuba at the National Stadium.

A media release from the JFF on Wednesday said: “McClaren expressed great excitement” at the opportunity.

“I am extremely proud and excited to take up the position of head coach for the Jamaica men’s national team. I had no hesitation in accepting a position that is ideally suited to me at this stage of my career,” the release quoted the veteran coach as saying.

“Prior to returning to Manchester United for a second spell, I spent time at FIFA as a technical advisor on their Global Eco Analysis project. Jamaica was one of the teams I worked with and I quickly came to realise the potential the country possessed. In the years since, that potential has grown significantly and there is every reason to believe that with continued hard work and development a bright future lies ahead,” he added in the release.

President of the Jamaica Football Federation Michael Ricketts welcomed the appointment.

“We are truly elated to announce the appointment of Mr McClaren as head coach of the Reggae Boyz. We are confident we made the right decision and we are looking forward to him guiding our nation towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”

Manchester United confirmed the move and wished McClaren well on their website on Wednesday.

Dutchman ten Hag added: “I want to thank Steve for his tremendous service over the past two years. He has been an invaluable source of support and advice to me since I arrived in English football, helping us achieve two trophies while laying down foundations for further success.

“Steve and I have been friends for 16 years since we first worked together at FC Twente, and that relationship will continue as he embarks on this next challenge, as will his bond with Manchester United. All of us at the club wish Steve the best of luck in his new role.”

McClaren later returned tribute to the club.

“I wish to say a huge thank you to everyone at Manchester United for their friendship, help, and support during the past two years.

“I am delighted to have played my part in helping Erik deliver two trophies to the club and for my final game to have been our FA Cup victory over Manchester City, there can be no better note on which to end.

“I have no doubt the foundations that are in place at Manchester United will see the club challenging again soon for all the major trophies,” he said.