JFF President Michael Ricketts looks forward to success with new Reggae Boyz coach
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts is looking forward to the arrival of new Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and pointed out that the 55-year-old Icelander has been paying keen attention to the national players ahead of his tenure.
Hallgrimsson, who interestingly is also a dentist by profession, is set to be unveiled at a JFF press conference on Friday and according to Ricketts, the successful tactician has been keeping close tabs on his new players.
“The coach (Hallgrimsson) is actually coming with a goalkeeper coach and an assistant, those are the only two staff members that he has requested of us. He has done a lot of research on Jamaica’s football, particularly the players, so he is quite knowledgeable about our football programme,” Ricketts told OBSERVER ONLINE.
Hallgrimsson and his team will be in charge of the Reggae Boyz for their friendly international against Argentina on September 27 at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
The JFF recently named a 23-member squad for the high-profile friendly and it is hoped that the new technical team will begin their assignment with a positive showing.
“We are looking forward to some exciting times and I just hope and pray that things will work out,” Ricketts said. “I hope that we will be sane and sober in what we do and say and that we will get a very good result against Argentina.”
Hallgrimsson is already on the island but Ricketts shared that the other members of his team are likely to meet up with the team at a later date.
“The goalkeeper coach I also understand would have done a lot of work so he (Hallgrimsson) will come with two assistants. They may not be here on Friday – one I think will meet us in New York for the game on the 27th but we are looking forward to it,” Ricketts stated.
Hallgrimsson was the joint Head Coach, along with Lars Lagerback, during Iceland’s historic run to the quarter-finals of the 2016 UEFA European Championships before taking over the reins to lead the nation to their first FIFA World Cup appearance in 2018.