Alvas Powell apologises for walking out on Reggae Boyz

Defender Alvas Powell has issued a statement apologising for walking out on Jamaica’s senior men’s football team competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States and Canada.

In the statement posted earlier this afternoon on the website of his US club, Portland Timbers, Powell said he takes "full responsibility" for his actions, adding that his walkout had nothing to do with "lack of playing time”.

The defender also expressed a wish to again play for Jamaica.

However, that may be difficult under Jamaica’s head coach Winfried Schafer, who, after the walkout, said Powell "is the past”.

Powell had packed his bags and left the team on Wednesday morning ahead of its departure from Toronto to Baltimore.

The Gleaner understands that since joining up with the Jamaica team for the Gold Cup, Powell had been muttering disapproval at not being a part of the starting line-up and threatened to walk out.

His actions have drawn much public condemnation.

Full statement from Alvas Powell:

“Firstly, I would like to sincerely apologise to the people of Jamaica, the JFF (Jamaica Football Federation) and my teammates.

I am truly sorry this situation has occurred, as I wanted to play for my country in the Gold Cup.

Unfortunately, things were not handled right and I take full responsibility for my actions, but this wasn’t to do with lack of playing time.

At this time, I do not want to say anything further out of respect for my teammates and the JFF.

It is our first priority to make sure the team is concentrating on the task at hand, which is advancing in the Gold Cup.

Hopefully I can work through these things with the manager and Federation as representing my country is an honour and something I take great pride in, and in the future I very much want to be a part of my country’s national team.

I am confident the Boyz will continue to have success and I am 100 per cent behind the team.”