President of the Jamaica Football Federation Michael Ricketts announced a four-year deal with Icelander Heimir Hallgrimsson, who officially takes over as head coach of Jamaica’s senior men’s team.

“Welcome to what I am going to call a game-changing event,” said Ricketts at a press event at the Jamaica Pegasus on Friday.

“This is an important part of the new start that has begun at the Jamaican Football Federation.”

Ricketts called on supporters of the programme to throw their backing behind the national team.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on Jamaica for more commitment, more loyalty, more optimism as we try to change the football direction,” Ricketts added.

Hallgrimsson said he was happy to be a part of the project and noted that, “I want to start with saying I’m honoured and I’m grateful but most of all excited for this opportunity. My first impression of Jamaica is a very positive one; I have received a nice reception from all people I meet. I spent a holiday with my wife maybe 10 years ago here and probably that was one of the best holidays I’ve had,” said Hallgrimsson.

The coach underlined that his focus will be trying to qualify the team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and develop the game in Jamaica through coaching education.

“We have a year until we start the playoffs or the group stage for the World Cup so we have to start quickly to try to find and stabilise the Jamaican national team. The second job is assisting in improving football locally here in Jamaica, in coaching education and working with elite players and we are happy to be a part of this and assist in that,” said Hallgrimsson.

“But while doing this, we all know that in every match there is pressure to win and no coach will survive in his job without winning football matches. So that is just a basic fact. So yes, we want to have a good team but we all know we have to win the matches we play starting now against Argentina,” Hallgrimsson noted.

Hallgrimsson along with Lars Lagerback led Iceland to the quarter-finals of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.

He also led Iceland to the 2018 Fifa World Cup as head coach before taking charge of Qatari team Al-Arabi in 2018.