Blackpool’s’ defensive midfielder Kevin Stewart is the only newcomer in interim head coach Paul Hall’s’ 23-man Reggae Boyz squad for the next three FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The new head coach selected the 28-year-old for the central defensive midfield role while omitting veteran Je-Vaughn Watson and the warrior-like Anthony Grant. Hall recently replaced former Reggae Boyz teammate Theodore Whitmore as head coach.
Hall selected the England-born Stewart in a provisional 60-man squad for last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup in the US. However, the new team coach did not consider him for the final 23-man team.
Stewart has played for Tottenham Hotspur, Crewe Alexandra, Liverpool, Cheltenham Town, Burton Albion, Swindon Tow, and Hull City.
Aside from the omission of Watson and Grant, also missing are Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey and Spartak Moscow’s Shamar Nicholson.
Reggae Boyz standing
The Jamaicans are in sixth place in the eight-nation points table with seven points. Canada leads with 16 points, just ahead of the US with 15, followed by Mexico and Panama on 14, with Costa Rica on nine.
El Salvador is seventh with six points, followed by Honduras at the foot of the table on three points.
The Reggae Boyz welcome Mexico to an empty stadium on Thursday in Jamaica. After that match, they will travel to Panama City to face that country on Sunday. They return home to entertain Costa Rica on February 2.
At the end of the 14-game series, the top three teams earn automatic qualification to the Qatar World Cup Finals. The fourth-placed team will earn an intercontinental play-off for another shot at Qatar.
Hall now leads the technical staff after the Jamaica Football Federation’s Technical Committee headed by Rudolph Speid voted overwhelmingly to out Whitmore. The JFF said it had lost confidence in Whitmore’s ability to lead the Reggae Boyz to success.
Hall’s’ first squad for the qualifiers sees the return of midfielder Peter Vassell, who played with the team last Thursday. The Reggae Boyz lost 0-3 to Peru in Lima in that game.
The entire squad includes Amal Knight, Dwayne Miller, Andre Blake, Kevin Stewart, Damion Lowe, Alvas Powell, Lamar Walker, Kemar Lawrence, Adrian Mariappa, Junior Flemmings, Peter Vassell, Devon Williams, Bobby Reid, Liam Moore, Andre Gray, Michail Antonio, Ethan Pinnock, Javon East, Gregory Leigh, Cory Burke, Javain Brown, Daniel Johnson, Ravel Morrison.
