As Jamaica’s senior men’s team get ready to face Cuba and Hon
duras in Nations League matches in a few days, newly appointed Head Coach Steve McClaren is expecting a tough test from both teams and is preparing his coaching staff and the Reggae Boyz players for what he expects will be significant pressure to deliver positive results.

McClaren, who was appointed to the post in July, warned that both Cuba and Honduras will pose problems for the team, but made it clear that the Boyz must be prepared to handle the challenges, given the importance of the fixtures, which are considered crucial in the team’s preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, which begin next year.

“These are going to be two very difficult games, and there are a lot of expectations on Jamaica, being number one in the Caribbean, and that brings pressure,” McClaren said.

“There will be pressure from the fans, but we understand that. We need support from everybody, including the federation. We need to align and move in one direction, not just in the short term, with the World Cup in two years, but also for the long term.”

The Reggae Boyz will face Cuba on Friday, September 6 before travelling to play Honduras four days later.

McClaren, a vastly experienced coach, who served as an assistant at Manchester United last season, also stressed the importance of developing a never-say-die attitude and culture within the squad, which he believes will lead the team to great success in the future.

“We have to connect with the players, and then, when we play, we have to connect with the supporters. Once you connect, you build a relationship, and that relationship will have its ups and downs,” he reasoned.

“There will be boos, and there will be people saying, ‘They don’t know what they’re doing,’ and ‘Do this, do that.’ It doesn’t matter. We all need to stick together in the end because the goal is the 2026 World Cup,” McClaren expressed.

“That’s going to be a process, and that process starts now. During that process, there will be many times when we are one-nil down with five to 10 minutes to go.

“That’s the strength of the team when we’re one-nil down with five to 10 minutes left. That’s when the top teams win, and that’s the mentality we need to instil, not just in the players but in the nation and the supporters who come and watch,” he said.

The Reggae Boyz’s 23-man squad is scheduled to start assembling on Monday in preparation for both matches, and McClaren is eager to get started in his role as head coach.

“The key thing is that myself and the staff are excited, and we can’t wait until Monday. That’s when it starts,” he said. “We coaches, we’re not about press conferences and watching this and that. We’re about football, getting players on the training field, getting them playing games, and getting them to win, lose, or draw. That is our life, and that starts on Monday, and that’s what I’m excited about.”

Eighteen players from the Copa America squad will return, with Leon Bailey, Amari’i Bell, Norman Campbell, Jon Russell, and Adrian Reid Jr also included in the 23-man roster.

“I want continuity, and that’s why most of the players from the Copa America squad are in the team. We also wanted to look at some new additions, and where there are gaps, we have players to fill them,” McClaren explained.