Caribbean National Weekly

Jamaican soccer bosses show confidence in local coach

By Andrew Karim··1 min read
Jamaican soccer bosses show confidence in local coach
Key Points(5)
  • The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has extended the contract of Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore as coach of the national senior men's team.
  • Whitmore’s contract was to have ended at the conclusion of the Gold Cup last month but the soccer bosses saw it fit to keep him in charge of the nation’s football program.
  • Whitmore was given an interim role as national coach by the late former JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, last year.
  • <strong>Contract yet to be finalized</strong> New interim JFF president Bruce Gaynor has decided to continue with the former national senior team captain and star midfielder.
  • Whitmore guided Jamaica to a second-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament last month, where hosts United States edged Jamaica 2-1 in the Cup finals.

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has extended the contract of Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore as coach of the national senior men's team. Whitmore’s contract was to have ended at the conclusion of the Gold Cup last month but the soccer bosses saw it fit to keep him in charge of the nation’s football program.

Whitmore was given an interim role as national coach by the late former JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, last year.

Contract yet to be finalized

New interim JFF president Bruce Gaynor has decided to continue with the former national senior team captain and star midfielder. Whitmore guided Jamaica to a second-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament last month, where hosts United States edged Jamaica 2-1 in the Cup finals.

"We (the JFF) have offered him (Whitmore) a new contract which is not yet finalized. We will sit with Whitmore for discussions. He has agreed to coach the team in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago in that country on August 24," Gaynor told The Gleaner yesterday.

18-man squad for TT friendly

Whitmore has named a 18-man squad of local players for the friendly international at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, starting at 7 p.m., Jamaica time.

Trinidad and Tobago next plays Honduras on September 1 in the CONCACAF Hexagonal round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers and is using this game as part of their preparation.

The squad will begin training on August 16.

The full squad reads:

Amal Knight (UWI FC), Jamie Robinson (UWI FC), Ladale Ritchie (Montego Bay United), Javain Brown (Harbour View), Rosario Harriott (Harbour View), Alex Marshall (Cavalier SC), Kaheem Parris (Cavalier SC), Shawn Genus (Reno), Marvin Morgan (Arnett Gardens), Vishinul Harris (Arnett Gardens), Fabian Reid (Arnett Gardens), Leonardo Rankine (Sandals South Coast), Shamar Nicholson (Boys' Town), Shaven-Sean Paul (Portmore United), Michael Binns (Portmore United), Ewan Grandison (Portmore United), Ricardo Morris (Portmore United) and Rondee Smith (Portmore United).

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