KINGSTON, Jamaica – Reggae Girlz assistant coach, Lorne Donaldson, said selecting the final squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup in France had been a difficult process, especially knowing there would be disappointment for players who helped the side qualify.
Sixteen players who were part of the history-making 20-member squad at last year’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship were retained in the 23-member side for the June 7 to July 7 showpiece.
It meant that four players – Christina Chung, Giselle Washington, Shanise Foster, and Jadyn Matthews – all missed out on the trip.
“We looked at the persons and the contribution they have made, and what they can do in the future. There will be mistakes that people will not agree with, but it was a very difficult decision,” Donaldson was quoted as saying in a radio interview here.
“As coaches, how do you tell your daughters that they can’t make it? We have been through war with some of these players, and at the end, when a big thing like a World Cup presents itself and they are not chosen, it’s very difficult.
“But that’s why coaches coach. There are tough decisions we have to make, and it’s nothing personal against the players, but somebody will be left out and even the player selected feels sad for those players left out. But we talked with them and hopefully there are no hard feelings.”
New faces
Chanel Hudson-Mark, Yazmeen Jameison, Kyla McCoy, Chenya Matthews, Tiffany Cameron and Olufolsade Adamolekun were the new faces named in a 22-member squad announced earlier this week.
And Norway-based attacker Havana Solaun was recently added to the squad after receiving international clearance from football’s world governing body, FIFA.
Support for Khadija Shaw
Donaldson said she expected Solaun to play a vital role in the squad supporting United States-based forward, Khadija Shaw.
“There are players and there are special players for positions we need, and she fills one of those roles. In the number 10 role, we need somebody to play behind ‘Bunny’ Shaw that can do that very well,” Donaldson explained.
“She’s a quarter-back or a point-guard. She’s a top player we need in the middle to pull the strings and set the tone, and she brings that.”
At the World Cup, Jamaica will do battle in a tough Group C where they line up against Australia, Italy and Brazil.
