KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said he hoped to pick a squad packed with several experienced players will enable the Jamaica Reggae Boyz to hold onto the top spot in Group A of League A following their Concacaf Nations League match against hosts Mexico on Sunday.
The Jamaicans have five points in the three-team group and hold a one-point lead over the Mexicans, who face Caribbean Football Union side Suriname on Thursday in Paramaribo before their group stage finale against the Boyz in the high altitude of the Azteca Stadium.
Hallgrimsson retained only seven players from an international friendly against Trinidad & Tobago. The Boyz drew 0-0 on March 14 on home soil at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay.
The Iceland-born coach said he expects better decision-making and execution from his side against the Mexicans.
“We were not happy with how we played, a lot of technical mistakes, but those players haven’t played together, so there were misunderstandings between players,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday. “But there were a lot of long balls, way too many. There was a lack of patience on the ball and a lack of confidence in creativity on the ball.
“Our tactics will be solely for this Mexico camp. So we will have some things that we would like to emphasize in our attacking and other things in our defensive game. This is a different team with more experienced players used to playing at the highest level, used to playing national teams games.”
The 23-member squad includes the experienced defensive trio of Dexter Lembiksia of English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, fellow EPL defender Ethan Pinnock of Brentford, and Kemar Lawrence, who plays for Minnesota United in Major League Soccer in the United States.
England-born midfielder Jonathan Russell, who plays for English League 1 club Barnsley, has also earned a spot in the squad for the match in Mexico City.
A notable omission is the recent Chelsea signing, teenage forward Dujuan Richards, while West Ham United ahead Michail Antonio and Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake is also out due to injuries.
Hallgrimsson said more opportunities for players plying their trade at home would be offered to discover the depth of talent available. Still, the match against the Mexicans was multiple assignments.
“We want to see how they will play with more experienced players,” he said. “I think they will step up by playing with better players around them.
“Not that others were bad, but just because we want to see these guys. We needed positions, so we looked to the guys we had just started work with. We will not take so many from the local league in the future, but let’s see how they do.”
The Jamaicans hope to win to gain a place in the CNL Finals in June in the American city of Las Vegas and an automatic berth into the subsequent Concacaf Gold Cup in June and July in the United States, a path Hallgrimsson said will be ideal for his side.
“This is just a different assignment, a different task,” he said. “Of course, that is the priority, which is highly important for us. It would help us a lot to go to the semi-finals. That would give us two preparation matches for the (Concacaf) Gold Cup. It is always better to play official matches rather than friendlies.”
Squad:
Amari Bell, Jamal Lowe, Ethan Pinnock, Jonathan Russell, Bobby Reid, Demario Phillips, Dexter Lembiksia, Adrian Mariappa, Kevon Lambert, Jahmali Waite, Corey Burke, Damion Lowe, Daniel Johnson, Ravel Morrison, Kaheem Parris, Richard King, Shamar Nicholson, Trivante Stewart, Coniah Boyce-Clarke, Amal Knight, Javian Brown, Kemar Lawrence, Leon Bailey.
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