Reggae Boyz head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson gets the chance to examine a second string unit when Jamaica faces Trinidad and Tobago in the first of two international friendlies inside St James’ Montego Bay Sports Complex today at 6:00 pm.
The second game is slated for Kingston’s National Stadium next Tuesday at 7:00 pm and both teams are using the games to ready themselves for the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup qualifiers.
The twin-isle republic is down to face The Bahamas in Nassau on March 24 and Nicaragua three days later at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, on March 27 in the Nations League, while Jamaica has an important visit to Mexico City to face the regional powerhouses on March 26 before hosting Guatemala on April 15.
Though a fixture of this nature between the two Caribbean giants has always been intense, the coaching staff of both sides has set their sights on the competitive assignments ahead.
“Our job here is not to win practice matches but to qualify for the Gold Cup coming up. In a practice match, I am really looking to see which players can come out of that game and get into the full squad when that is selected, noted head coach Angus Eve.
He added: “Jamaica is ranked more than half-century upon us and they have league football going on and we don’t, and so our guys are at a disadvantage from that standpoint, but if we can become competitive and put in good results, those things are what I am looking for.
“I said from the beginning we need to establish ourselves in the Caribbean, so this would go some ways in assessing their local-based group against our local-based group.”
Despite the 40-place difference (64th to 104th) on the FIFA ranking, both sides approach these games as invaluable practice.
And Trinidadian defender Alvin Jones is of the view that this fixture brings out the best in either side.
“Playing against Jamaica, it is always a personal rivalry, and we are up for it. It has also always been a battle between us for the top spot in the Caribbean for some time now.”
Teammate and fellow defender Neveal Hackshaw has made it clear that the visitors would not be handling the Reggae Boyz with kids gloves.
“We are playing Jamaica, but we are really prepping for Nicaragua and The Bahamas. These friendlies should be good because we haven’t played a team outside in a long while. Everyone is up for the fight and what the coach has for us to do.”
For 55-year-old Jamaican coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, it’s all about learning about the culture, the players and ultimately the tools at his disposal.
“There is a lot of things I need to learn first before I can really change things,” he declared. “It takes time. You’ll never know everything but it’s better to do the work in the beginning that to slowly learn.
“I’ve been doing this. The first two camps I had in January were to get to know the players and the ones that were recommended or played before.
“In February, I’ve been focusing on the domestic league and the domestic players, trying to learn the football culture in Jamaica, watching training sessions, talking to coaches and owners. Maybe, in one week, I will need to start to watch the players playing abroad because it takes a lot of time to so as well,” Heimir Hallgrimsson added.
The coach added that these games will give him and his staff an opportunity to examine as many players as possible.
“We play Trinidad and Tobago on the 11th and the 14th of March. That is good preparation and I think that match will feature from the domestic league. Then we have the game in Mexico at the end of March and there, we will have the ability to bring in all players that we want because that’s a FIFA window.
“We then have a game against Guatemala in early April where we can, hopefully, get some of the players in the US that were not in the Mexico squad.”
Heimir Hallgrimsson also noted that the purpose of these games is to try to give as many players as possible a chance to play so we can have the best squad possible in the Gold Cup this summer.”
The Jamaican coach named 25 players to prepare for this game, including five from England – Chelsea’s Omari Hutchinson, Tyler Roberts, and Dexter Lembikisa, both of Wolves, Delano McCoy-Splatt from Fulham and Dante Cassanova from Tottenham Hotspur.
The squad also includes 17-year-old Dujuan Richards, a standout at the schoolboy competition for Kingston College.
The quad is completed by Collin Anderson (Cavalier), Trivante Stewart (Mount Pleasant), Jourdain Fletcher (NEROCA), Lamar Walker (Portmore United), Demario Phillips (Mount Pleasant), Raven Morrison, Alwayne Harvey (Mount Pleasant), Jahshaun Anglin (Harbour View), Dwayne Atkinson (Cavalier), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden), Jamoi Topey (Mount Pleasant), Richard King (Cavalier), Fitzroy Cummings (Vere United), Adrian Mariappa (Unattached), Sue-Lae McCalla (Mount Pleasant), Oshane Staple (Harbour View), Jamali Waite (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Kemar Foster (Waterhouse), Asher Hutchinson (Arnett Gardens).
The Trinidad and Tobago team comprises of: Marvin Phillip (AC Port Spain), Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Denzil Smith (W Connection), Alvin Jones (Unattached), Kareem Riley (Club Sando), Josiah Trimmingham (Club Sando), Andre Raymond (Dumiense FC, Portugal), Justin Garcia (Defence Force), Jameel Neptune (AC Port of Spain), Jelani Felix (Defence Force), Matthew Woo Ling (AC Port of Spain), Noah Powder (Unattached), Jesse Williams (Unattached), Kaile Auvray (Sporting Kansas City, US), Jomal Williams (Once Deportivo), Justin Sadoo (Defence Force), Michel Poon Angeron (AC Port of Spain), Joevin Jones (Unattached), Reon Moore (Defence Force), John-Paul Rochford (AC Port of Spain), Jamoul Francois (AC Port of Spain), Kwesi Weston (Louisiana Krewe FC, US), Nathaniel James (W Connection), Kadeem Corbin (Central FC).
