JAMAICA’S Reggae Boyz Head Coach Mr Steve McClaren was suitably philosophical as he reflected on his team’s heavy away defeat to the United States in Missouri earlier this week.

“This process [towards qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup] is ongoing,” Mr McClaren was reported as telling journalists following the Concacaf Nations League game which Jamaica lost 2-4 (2-5 on aggregate home and away).

“Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don’t, but we learn, adapt, and move forward. I believe in this team and in our ability to achieve something special. The real test is against the top teams — and we’ve come up short,” he added.

We note his obvious frustration that the Reggae Boyz — against the USA and others — have not kept possession of the ball as efficiently as they should.

“… We are aggressive, we defend well, but we need to improve in being able to deal with the ball better, build from the back better, with more composure, and have more courage…” he said.

Obviously keeping possession requires players who have the ability and confidence to do so.

As the team’s new coach, Mr McClaren, an Englishman, has been spending time, when opportunities present during FIFA windows, to assess and become familiar with players.

He is clearly far more knowledgeable about the English-based professionals but he must also learn as much as he can, as quickly as he can, about others — including those playing in North America and Jamaica’s local premier league.

So we hear that in three camps, thus far, since he took over as national senior coach, he has worked with 37 players “experimenting and identifying talent”.

We are left to feel that process aided his selection of locally based Mr Richard King for whom he had high praise following the encounter in Missouri.

Said Mr McClaren of Mr King “… I thought he was excellent — dealt with the ball, good composure, good passing, a sign for the future”.

Now that he has had “a real good look”, Mr McClaren wants higher “standards”, more professionalism, and the evolution of “a style and a way of playing that I believe is the modern game and [which will] help us to qualify, not just for 2026 [FIFA World Cup] but for 2030”.

He tells us that “there’s a lot of young talent that I see, and we need to develop them technically and tactically because they’ve got a great spirit, which is a great foundation”.

Very soon now, presumably, Mr McClaren will be drawing a line of sorts on his talent assessment process, with World Cup qualifiers resuming next year.

Meantime, nothing must be taken for granted as the Jamaicans prepare to face St Vincent and the Grenadines for a place in the Concacaf Gold Cup — an automatic spot having been denied with defeat to the USA.

Finally, as we contemplate the quality of football being played by top teams in Concacaf — not least the 2026 World Cup hosts USA, Mexico, and Canada — dare we hope that the region will be represented in the final four, or even better, in that grand global tournament?

Why not?