Hall: Peru game is vital

With three crucial Concacaf FIFA Qualifiers matches coming up in the next two weeks, Reggae Boyz head coach Paul Hall says Thursday’s friendly international game against host Peru is critical to the team’s preparations.

The match does not fall in a FIFA window and a number of Jamaica’s regular starters over recent Concacaf World Cup qualifiers will be unavailable.

Thursday’s match in Lima, Peru, will be played seven days before Jamaica’s next World Cup qualifier against Mexico at the National Stadium.

“The Peru game is vital because we want to use this game to look at what is available to us,” said Hall.

“It is obviously a chance for players to put their best football forward and for me to see them in close quarters and what they are like in a game against a good team,” Hall said.

The coach underscored that this is a massive opportunity for these players to be included in the Reggae Boyz 24-man squad for their World Cup qualifiers against the Mexicans on January 27 at the National Stadium and Panama on the January 30 in Panama City.

“It is always a chance for them because we want to be able to use the best possible players for Jamaica, and if we can, pick the best 11 players to start and the best squad to support them,” he said. “There are a lot of good players that we have got in this group, and so it is just about what they can bring and can they add value to the national team,” Hall said.

The Reggae Boyz squad is scheduled to depart the island this afternoon.