JAMAICA’S Head Coach Mr Steve McClaren stayed positive following his team’s 0-0 result against lowly rated Cuba — down to 10 men for the entire second half — in the Concacaf Nations League Group A clash in Kingston just over a week ago.

“It’s a long process, and I’m bringing things to the team which I think will help us grow to the next level,” Mr McClaren said back then.

“I think … defensively we didn’t give them [Cuba] anything … our counter-press was very good from the midfield and we created chances … and that was positive,” he added.

Mr McClaren had also underlined the need to avoid panic: “My job is to stay calm, stay composed, and keep building, growing and getting belief into this team because that… will take us to the next level…”

Yet for all his brave words Mr McClaren must have been more than a little nervous as his team took on Honduras before an intimidating capacity crowd in that country’s capital city, Tegucigalpa, on Tuesday night.

All credit is due to the Reggae Boyz for fighting all the way to earn a priceless 2-1 victory and all three points which catapulted them to the top of the group alongside Nicaragua.

Said Mr McClaren after Tuesday night’s game in Tegucigalpa: “I think after the Cuba result, which we played so well and couldn’t score goals, it added the pressure for us coming here… I think we had to win, we definitely didn’t want to lose the game, otherwise that would have left us in a bad situation…

“I credit my players for their work; they were hard to beat. Great team spirit — unbelievable team spirit — good players coming off the bench and finishing the job…”

From our vantage point we have special praise for goalkeeper Mr Andre Blake who, as he has done for years, kept Jamaica afloat with wonderful, body-on-the-line saves.

In a real sense, Mr Blake epitomises the lion-hearted, never-say-die attitude of which Jamaicans love to boast.

Bubbling with confidence after that win in Honduras and having built some chemistry from two games so far under Mr McClaren’s leadership, we expect that the players will be in a good place on their return to international football next month.

On October 10 the Jamaicans are set to face Nicaragua away before hosting Honduras at the National Stadium on October 14.

The aim then will be to go as far as possible in this edition of the Concacaf Nations League, which is the qualifying tournament for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Yet we must keep reminding ourselves that this is all part of what Mr McClaren describes as the “process” towards the 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted in our hemisphere by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Those who continue to harbour thoughts that Jamaica’s qualification to the global tournament will be easy because the host nations are already there, should give serious thought to the quality on show in recent months from the likes of Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, etc.

We should expect a fight to the end from all quarters. There is no room for complacency.