2 months ago
5
SIXTEEN OF the 24 players that lost by a whisker to Nigeria in the final of the Unity Cup have made Steve McClaren’s list of 26 for the Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers and the Gold Cup.
The Reggae Boyz boss submitted the 26 to Concacaf for the Gold Cup but named 24 for a World Cup Qualifier against the British Virgin Islands in that country tomorrow.
Eight players who did not take part in the Unity Cup on account of injury or had been given leave to rest have been brought back into the squad.
Speaking of his squad selection, McClaren had said he was pleased with the work put in by his players but had expressed concerns regarding his midfield depth.
“From the beginning of the week to the end, the players were exemplary with their work,” he said of the squad.
“If we get injuries in that area (midfield) then we’ll need greater depth. We have that depth in a majority of areas, but in terms of the names and the depth, then no, we haven’t, so we’re still searching and trying to get better in that area.”
With the Gold Cup set to begin just six days following a second World Cup Qualifier against Guatemala on Tuesday at the National Stadium, McClaren has chosen a mostly unchanged squad.
Only one player from the World Cup Qualifiers will miss out on the Gold Cup, namely, midfielder Ravel Morrison.
Morrison, who was a late addition to the Unity Cup camp, could not be selected for the Gold Cup given that he was not part of an initial 60-man preliminary list from which the final roster could be selected.
McClaren had previously said Morrison, due to playing in the third tier of the United Arab Emirates league, was not competing at a high enough level for national selection.
The Reggae Boyz boss reversed his decision and included Morrison for both the Unity Cup and World Cup Qualifiers but was unable to do so for the Gold Cup.
Michail Antonio, who has been out injured for the last year, Bobby Reid, and Ethan Pinnock have been given the nod for the Gold Cup.
In the case of Pinnock, the Brentford defender had been rested for both the Unity Cup and World Cup Qualifiers.
With Pinnock’s injuries this season, and his club commitment to Brentford in the Premier League, McClaren said the idea was to bring him in at the right opportunity.
However, the other two additions to the squad, Antonio and Reid, will bring some interest as the two have been absent due to injuries.
Antonio, who was involved in a car crash late last year, has been absent from the field of play for the past few months.
The veteran striker was present for one of the team’s training sessions in London ahead of the Unity Cup, but McClaren explained that he was not fit enough to play at the time.
Reid was another key absence for McClaren, who, he stated, would leave a gap in the midfield depth.
“We miss Bobby Reid,” he explained. “I think he provided great energy, tactical awareness, and technique in our midfield.”
The midfielder picked up an injury while representing his club Leicester in April and has been absent from national duty since.
His addition could be a sign of his readiness to play or his recovery schedule, leaving him on track to return to match fitness during the competition.
Jamaica has been drawn in Group B of the Gold Cup, where they will face Panama, Guatemala, and Guadeloupe.
The Boyz will open their campaign on June 16 against Guatemala before facing Guadeloupe on June 20 and closing out the group stage against Panama on June 24.
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