Whitmore approaches 100 - Reggae Boyz head coach hailed for overcoming odds ahead of milestone game against Saudis

When national senior men’s football team head coach Theodore Whitmore takes charge of Jamaica’s second match against Saudi Arabia today, he will be celebrating a significant milestone in his coaching career. The 48-year-old will be on the sideline for his 100th game with the Reggae Boyz as they seek to improve on their 3-0 loss in the first game on Saturday.

Whitmore has been at the helm in some capacity for eight years, either as an interim coach or during his two stints as a permanent head coach, which includes his current run that started in 2017. In assessing his progress, Humble Lion head coach Andrew Price, Mount Pleasant head coach Paul Davis, and former national assistant Bradley Stewart have said that the programme has improved in his charge.

“One hundred games is a major achievement and we must congratulate Whitmore when it takes place [today],” Price told The Gleaner. “He has given service to the country, and if you look at his record and match it against a lot of the other coaches, his record is as good as, or better than, previous national coaches. He must be given credit for what he has done with the national programme.”

WHITMORE’S STANDING

Whitmore’s record stands at 51 wins, 16 draws and 32 defeats over his 99 games coached. His win percentage of 51.5 per cent is higher than Carl Brown’s, the only other Jamaica-born coach that has coached 100 games (42 per cent), and René Simões, who has coached the most games for Jamaica (127) during his two stints with the programme (43.3 per cent). While other coaches have had higher percentages (John Barnes, 63.6 per cent, and Wendell Downswell, 57.1 percent), they have coached fewer games than the other three coaches.

While the 2010 Caribbean Cup was the only championship won under his leadership, Whitmore guided Jamaica to back-to-back Concacaf Gold Cup semi-final appearances in 2017 and 2019, reaching the final in 2017. The highlight of that campaign was their 1-0 win over Mexico in the semi-final, thanks to a free kick by Kemar Lawrence.

Davis, a former national teammate of Whitmore, said that he is pleased how Whitmore has stuck to his convictions and has improved over time.

“I think game by game he is improving in terms of his selections, the way he manages the team, and himself,” Davis said. “I see a lot of improvement and I must congratulate him for that. He holds on to his beliefs as a coach and it’s given him success.”

Stewart says that he is impressed with how Whitmore is getting results in difficult circumstances.

“I don’t think that there is another coach that would have had the kind of success that he has had. Given that he went to the final of the Gold Cup, and given the lack of adequate training time, especially for international games, the results that he has had under these conditions is fantastic,” Stewart said.

But the relationship between Whitmore and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) hasn’t always been amicable. In 2018, Whitmore reportedly refused to sign a contract extension, dissatisfied with the salary offered by the JFF. It was reportedly deemed lower than the $5.6 million per month they paid for his predecessor Winfried Schäfer from 2013-2016. With intervention from the Ministry of Sport, he eventually signed an extension through to December 31, 2022.

Whitmore continues to navigate through difficult conditions ahead of today’s game in Riyadh at 11:30 a.m. as the squad has been hit with COVID-19 cases which have limited his options. The friendlies are being used as preparation for a busy 2021, which includes the final round of World Cup qualifying and the 2021 Gold Cup tournament.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com

Jamaica’s head coaches compared

Theodore Whitmore: 2007*, 2008*, 2009-13, 2016*, 2017-present

Matches: 99

Wins: 51

Draws 16

Losses 32

Win percentage: 51.5%

René Simões: 1994-2000, Jan to September 2008

Matches:127

Wins: 55

Draws: 35

Losses: 37

Win Percentage: 43.3%

Carl Brown: 1990-1994

Matches: 100

Wins:42

Draws: 34

Losses: 34

Win Percentage: 42%

Winfried Schäfer: 2013-2016

Matches: 42

Wins 14

Draws 7

Losses 21

Win Percentage: 33.3%

*served as interim manager