WITH the inter-confederation play-offs just over a month away, Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts says the work done by Rudolph Speid, the Reggae Boyz interim head coach, has boosted his confidence that the team will qualify for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

This week marks three months since Speid was given the role on a short-term basis, following the resignation of Englishman Steve McClaren in November who failed to achieve automatic qualification during the Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers. He previously served as the team’s technical advisor and is currently on leave from his roles as the JFF’s technical committee chairman and board director.

Speid, who was won three Jamaica Premier League (JPL) titles with Cavalier FC as well as the Concacaf Caribbean Cup in 2024, will guide the national senior men’s team in their final attempt to qualify for the World Cup next month, during the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico. They will take on Oceania’s New Caledonia in the semi-final on March 26 and potentially play DR Congo of Africa in the final on March 31 as they look to join Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Despite the limited preparation time for Speid and his technical staff, which features Miguel Coley as his assistant, Ricketts says he’s been impressed with what he’s seen and is optimistic it will lead to immediate success.

“Speid is one of the good football minds in this country and his skills ought to be fully utilised. He’s diligent, he’s detailed, and he is a professional,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“I am hoping that all of these attributes will be borne out when he plays these two games in Guadalajara on the 26th and 31st of March. So, I have all the confidence and all the trust in my local-based coaching staff and I believe that they will do very well at these two games at the end of March.”

Speid will oversee his second game in charge of the national senior men’s team when they travel to Fort-de-France to take on Caribbean neighbours Martinique on Saturday in an international friendly. In January, he got his first win in a 1-0 victory over hosts Grenada.

He will once again have to field a weakened squad as the Europe- and America-based players are unavailable due to the match being played outside the FIFA international window.

However, Ricketts says it will provide great exposure to the locally based players.

“It gives them an opportunity to impress Coach Speid,” he said. “We are hopeful that some of them will come to the fore, and get into the squad, and give an opportunity to positively impact our local programme.”

The 21-man squad, who leave the island in two delegations on Tuesday and Wednesday, features players strictly from the JPL.

Reigning Caribbean Cup champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy are the most heavily represented club with six players which include striker Warner Brown and goalkeeper Tafari Chambers, the only players who were part of the squads during the final round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers.

Speid has called up five players from his club Cavalier, including Captain Jeovanni Laing.

Leaders Montego Bay United, Portmore United, Racing United, Arnett Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, and Phoenix Chapelton Maroons will also have representation in the squad.

The league’s bottom five clubs, Dunbeholden, Molynes United, Treasure Beach, Harbour View and Spanish Town Police, have no players in Speid’s contingent.

Goalkeepers – Tafari Chambers (Mount Pleasant FA), Daniel Russell (Portmore United)

Defenders – Stephen Young (Portmore United), Tarrick Ximines (Portmore United), Kyle Ming (Mount Pleasant FA), Fitzroy Cummings (Mount Pleasant FA), Jeovanni Laing (Cavalier FC), Christopher Ainsworth (Cavalier FC), Kymani Campbell (Waterhouse FC), Robino Gordon (Phoenix Chapelton Maroons)

Midfielders – Adrian Reid Jr (Cavalier FC), Shamar Watson (Cavalier FC), Nickyle Ellis (Racing United), Dwight Merrick (Montego Bay United), Jaheim Thomas (Arnett Gardens), Dwayne Allen (Cavalier FC)

Forwards – Warner Brown (Mount Pleasant FA), Raheem Edwards (Mount Pleasant FA), Daniel Green (Mount Pleasant FA), Tajay Grant (Racing United), Rushike Kelson (Arnett Gardens), Nickalia Fuller (Tivoli Gardens)

Reggae Boyz Interim Head Coach Rudolph Speid (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz starting team for the international friendly match against Grenada at Kirani James Athletics Stadium in St George’s on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Jamaica won 1-0. (Photo: JFF)

Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts.