2 months ago
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NEWLY appointed head coach of Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, Englishman Stephen McClaren, says he’s excited ahead of his first match in charge of the national team next month.
Speaking with Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) media McClaren said that in preparation for the Nations League assignment he has been busy studying films and making contacts with players.
“I’m excited, I’ve been excited from day one. The biggest thing is to get started, I’ve phoned a few players, watched a few games in getting ready for Cuba on September 6. I’m very proud as it’s a privilege for anybody to coach a national team because you are representing a country,” McClaren added.
The former Manchester United assistant coach explained that there’s an abundance of talent in Jamaica and to harness and nurture that talent pool the level of coaching in Jamaica needs continuous improvement.
“What I have seen in the last three years is certainly development in the coaching. There are a lot of ‘B’ licence coaches, the talent is here and to make the talent better you need good coaches,” he added.
The 63-year-old shared that since his arrival one of the things he has noticed about the current crop of players is how much they enjoyed being around one another. He stated that this makes his job a bit easier and is aiming to carry on with the solid foundation he’s seen.
“They look like they have got great ‘togetherness’. I have spoken to players and staff and everybody loves coming to join up for Jamaica. You have got to enjoy what you do and that’s a great advantage. All I want to do is carry on with the good work that has gone on,” he stated.
McClaren said that part of his immediate plan is to remove any form of complacency which could hinder the Reggae Boyz’s progress. He added that with the trio of Mexico, USA and Canada already qualifying for the World Cup in 2026 as the hosts, every other team in the region believes they’re in with a serious shot at booking their spot therefore Jamaica can’t take anything for granted.
“Every team in the Caribbean now will be thinking they have a chance. In football there’s never an easy game, complacency is the biggest killer of all. Therefore we can’t be complacent in the Nations League or the qualifiers for the World Cup, we must be committed, we must want to be here and we must all be aligned, from the president all the way down, to the goal of World Cup 2026,” the former England manager said.
English (US) ·