Mariappa: Tough task ahead for coaches

Experienced Jamaican defender Adrian Mariappa believes that the Reggae Boyz’s coaching staff will have a very difficult task when selecting the squad for next month’s three Concacaf 2022 World Cup qualifying matches.

Mariappa’s comments came after the Reggae Boyz 1-1 against the host Costa Rica on Wednesday night in San Jose, Costa Rica.

“I have played with this group for a long time and one thing that you are going to get, they are going to fight for every single ball every time and there is a lot of quality in the group as well,” said Mariappa shortly after the team’s arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport on Thursday morning.

“Obviously there is a lot of competition for places now and everyone will have to earn the right to be in the squad, and for the next game when everyone returns, we know what the minimum requirements are,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the selection of the squad and teams and all of that is out of my control and all I can say is that last night (Wednesday), everyone acquitted themselves very well and they have put themselves forward for the next squad,” Mariappa said.

Head coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore was heavily criticised by football fans in their previous match after the Reggae Boyz were soundly beaten 3-0 at home by Panama. Whitmore had made eight changes to the starting line-up for that game, after the team’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Mexico four days earlier.

LEFT OUT OF STARTING LINE-UP

Striker Shamar Nicholson, who had scored in the previous encounter against Mexico and returned to score against Costa Rica on Wednesday, was left out of the starting line-up for the Panama match at the National Stadium.

In Costa Rica, Whitmore also made eight changes to the starting team. Many of these were forced as several British-based players, including ace West Ham United forward Michail Antonio, were not available for the match in Costa Rica. Costa Rica, like Mexico, is on the United Kingdom’s (UK) red list for COVID-19. Players who visit these countries could miss up to three games for their clubs while they go through a 10-day quarantine period on their return to the UK. Mariappa added that they were very delighted with the point gained in Costa Rica and are now looking to push further up the points standings in the coming games, the first of which will be away to the United States on October 7. The Reggae Boyz will then host Canada three days later before playing away to Honduras on October 13.

“It is a very important point for us because obviously, when you go away from home you don’t want to lose the game,” he said. “We went there to win, we created enough chances to win, but it wasn’t to be and so it was a good performance all round,” Mariappa concluded.