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JFF looks to resume Reggae Boyz training

Published:Tuesday | June 16, 2020 | 12:19 AMAkino Ming/Staff Reporter
Members of Jamaica’s senior men’s football team go through a training exercise at the University of the West Indies/JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence at UWI on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.
Members of Jamaica’s senior men’s football team go through a training exercise at the University of the West Indies/JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence at UWI on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.

As coronavirus restrictions continue to ease in Jamaica and around the world, the Jamaica Football Federation is looking to get its senior men’s team preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers back into gear.

Michael Ricketts, the president of the federation, said that its medical team met last week Thursday to put some protocols in place for the local members of the team to go back into training.

“Last week Thursday, the medical committee worked out a training regime, and the technical committee is now looking at it,” Ricketts said.

The Reggae Boyz were forced to put their preparation for the pending qualifiers on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes cancelling a friendly international against Catalonia in March.

But as Jamaica and the world by large continue to learn how to live with the disease, Ricketts wants the Boyz to resume activities in order to be ready to play the qualifiers and the second phase of the Nations League whenever Concacaf gives the go ahead.

“Coach (Theodore) Whitmore was a part of that meeting, so in the near future we will start some preparation on a phased basis at the technical centre,” Ricketts said.

FIFA RANKING

After an outstanding showing in the Nations League, the Reggae Boyz have improved their FIFA World ranking by eight spots to 48th, which takes them to fourth place in Concacaf, essentially securing a spot in the hexagonal round, based on the Confederation’s current qualification criteria.

With three and half spots to play for to get to the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar, the Reggae Boyz are in the best positions in recent vintage to make it to football’s flagship tournament.

akino.ming@gleanerjm.com