With Concacaf’s section of FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers kicking off in October, Reggae Girlz Head Coach Hubert Busby is confident that they can make a deep run in the tournament in spite of what he describes as a tricky Group B.

In Group B, Jamaica will play Guyana, Nicaragua, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda. At the conclusion of the qualifiers, the six group winners will join the United States and Canada (the two highest-ranked teams) in the eight-team Concacaf Women’s Championship.

Busby is confident in the Reggae Girlz’ ability to advance to the next round.

“Group B is a tricky group,” Busby tells the Jamaica Observer. “We respect all of our opponents. I think, when you look at Guyana, for example, they’ve made it to the second round in the qualifiers for the Olympics, a few years ago. All the teams will have their strengths and weaknesses, and we know a lot of the Central American teams, like Nicaragua, will be very competitive. Antigua and Barbuda will also be in a group that will have something to prove, so we are not going to take any of these teams lightly at all.

“We are confident about our changes, more so because we are really going to focus on the things that we can control. And so our focus is obviously to respect our opponents, but it really is making sure that we put all the plans in place, both on and off the field, to give ourselves the best chance to be successful. I think if we do that we should okay.”

Busby’s team has been working hard to improve their game, with a focus on becoming more resolute in their defending.

“I think that it is really important that we kind of reset in terms of our team’s dynamics,”
he says. “We need to concede less goals and become more consistent in our backline. I think it is important that we become a little bit more resolute in our defending both individually and as a group. So I think those are some of our focuses going into these qualifiers.”

The Reggae Girlz have had success in recent years, and Busby believes that qualifying for a third-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup would be a significant achievement.

“The significance is there,”
he says. “I think, obviously, that the programme has been very successful from 2019 to 2023 and obviously, to make it to three-consecutive World Cups will be unprecedented and another fantastic achievement for us to build on.”

Busby’s focus is on building a legacy that will last for generations.

“I think what’s really important for us, not just as a federation, but as a group, staff, and this current pool of players is that this is also not the only World Cup we go to. So I think it is important that we to continue this legacy of, first and foremost, qualifying for the 2027 World Cup but also making sure that the 2031 World is achievable as well.

“That’s where the legacy comes in, that’s where the programme keeps building, that’s where the pathways are established for our youth 15s, 17s, ad 20s to come through and for the next generations to make sure that we can continue to inspire not just the local players coming through in Jamaica but those players eligible to play for Jamaica worldwide.”

Since taking charge, Busby has introduced younger players to the team and sought to expanded the talent pool.

“Well, the team’s progress has been steady; I think it has been good,”
he says. “It hasn’t been always reflected in results but we have been able to cap another 12 players and give them exposure and opportunities. This has made our pool of players more competitive, and it’s been good for our growth as a team.”

Busby says expanding the pool of players has been key to the team’s success.

“I think really being able to expand our pool in the last year is really great and has been progress and one of the goals we needed to achieve,” he says. “With that, it allows for us to expand our pool of players and making the pool a lot more competitive, which in turn obviously makes the selection from these players a lot more difficult for the coaching staff, but this is what you want when you want to be one of the top programmes in Concacaf. You really need to provide or have or create a very competitive pool of players, and players that you can also rely on in case of injuries, suspensions, or anything else that might happen.”

Jamaica’s Kalyssa van Zanten (covered) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Costa Rica during their 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championship third-place football match, at BBVA Bancomer Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, on Monday, July 18, 2022.

BUSBY…we are confident about our changes, more so because we are really going to focus on the things that we can control