Newly-installed Reggae Boyz head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has declared that he’s taken on the difficult job not because of money, but because of the enormous potential for success that it carries.
The 55-year-old Icelandic dentist, a former player who guided his tiny nation, the least populated (360,000) to have ever qualified for the FIFA men’s World Cup Finals in 2018, made the declaration during his unveiling by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) at a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Friday.
Hallgrimsson has agreed to a four-year contract as head coach with his main objectives being to build a team to compete for qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals to be co-hosted by Canada, the IUS and Mexico, as well as to help develop the sport locally through coaching education and player development.
“I’m honoured and I’m grateful, but most of all excited for this opportunity. First impression of Jamaica is a very positive one, nice reception from all people I meet,” Hallgrimsson greeted Friday’s attendees.
“I’m a little bit different than most coaches in a way that it isn’t in my income to be a coach; in Iceland football is not professional, so the income comes from dentistry, but I decided long time ago that if I had the chance to become a professional [coach] I would go and do that. My passion is football, so when I’m doing football time flies, forget to eat, etc, etc, so when I was looking for projects to coach the next time, I was really selective.”
He added: “It was not about money, it was about the project and for me, it was a perfect match to come now to Jamaica and to try to fix what is broken… some obstacles we have to cross and we have to improve some big things but for me, it was a perfect match. I see so much potential here and if I compare this one to the Icelandic project I think the potential is much more than in Iceland, so I’m really looking forward to start.”
Hallgrimsson had already secured success as joint head coach of Iceland with Lars Largerback prior to the World Cup Final, as the team advanced to the quarter-finals of EURO 2016 in France in a tournament in which they shocked England 2-1.
The doctor will be accompanied by two assistants, assistant coach John Wall from Sweden and compatriot and goalkeeper coach Gudmundur Hreidarsson. Merron Gordon, who was assistant coach to interim head coach Paul Hall, will be retained as an assistant coach.
According to Hallgrimsson, Wall “is a Swedish UEFA Elite coach. He is a teacher, has a BA in Sports Science, coached at many levels in Sweden. He was a tactical coach for the Finnish national team which had huge success. He is good in player development and really useful in the transition in helping the local players to a higher standard and eventually and hopefully to the national team.
“The other staff member I will bring with me is Gudmundur Hreidarsson… I worked with him for seven years in the national team. All the years I was there he was the goalkeeper coach. He is, in my opinion, one of the best ones I’ve seen. He has the highest education possible for goalkeeper coaches in Europe, very experienced. Again, another one who worked at all levels of football, he’s great at developing goalkeepers and he’s been in the coaching education in Iceland for 20 years plus, but not only that he’s also in UEFA doing courses for goalkeeper coaches around Europe.”
Hallgrimsson says all three of them have coaching education in common for a long time, have all been youth coaches, coached at all levels, coached both genders, and that they all want to share to Jamaicans what they know because it’s all about sharing, giving and taking.
He explained that his number one task was to build a team for the World Cup 2026. “We have a year until we start playoffs (World Cup qualification) the group stage of the World Cup so we have to start quickly and try to stabilize the Jamaica national team. The second job is assisting in the improvement of football here in Jamaica through coaching education and working with elite players and we are happy to be a part of this and assist in that. But while doing this, we all know that in every match there is a pressure to win. There is an expectation to win and no coach will survive in his job without winning football matches, so that is just the basic fact.
“So yes, we want to have a good team in 2026 but we all know we have to win the matches we play starting now against Argentina. So two different things, first to develop talent and the second to improve the national team and I think both of these projects can support each other.”
But what are his plans, how is he going to implement the changes?
“First of all from experience, I was in Qatar for three years, I thought I was the best coach in the world, wanted to change all the players there to become Icelandic players with the Icelandic mentality, but sure I hit the wall there, so now I’m experienced enough to know that I have to adapt to the Jamaican culture.
“I have to learn about how you do things here before I start to tell people all the things I want to do, so I have to adapt first then we find a compromise. Yes, I have my ideas how to be successful internationally and these will be my first months to try to learn as much as possible.”
Meanwhile, JFF President Michael Ricketts has stated that the appointment of Hallgrimsson at this time coincides with the local governing body’s deliberate strategy to start anew amid internal changes.
He called the capture of the Icelander’s services as a game changer.
“Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Jamaica Football Federation I wish to formally announce that Mr Heimir Hallgrimsson has accepted the offer of the JFF to become the head coach of the senior National Men’s Team for the period of four years.
“The JFF is extremely pleased with its decision to engage Heimir. He has all the critical experience that the position requires in our country. It is my firm belief that the Jamaican people, fans, stakeholders, indeed players and support staff will also be pleased.
Ricketts says his administration is pleased that this appointment comes at a time when the governing body for the sport on the island can begin a slow but steady, well-planned and well-strategized campaign to 2026.
He noted that the timing gives the new head coach time to build a new philosophy, a style of play, an identity and not to mention that all this will be happening with the Jamaican players in new gear as of January 2023, thanks to a new deal with kit sponsor adidas.
The JFF boss noted that exciting times are ahead and it was time for the fans to see and appreciate the opportunities ahead. He also called for potential sponsors, partners, well-wishers, locally, overseas, to respond to or to offer funding and other support for the national teams.
