Girlz coach sets sights on improving player pool
Published:Monday | August 22, 2022 | 12:08 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
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Reggae Girlz coach Lorne Donaldson says he expects the team to be competitive against number 18-ranked South Korea in an international friendly on September 3 despite the unavailability of some key players. The Jamaicans will also play the South...
Reggae Girlz coach Lorne Donaldson says he expects the team to be competitive against number 18-ranked South Korea in an international friendly on September 3 despite the unavailability of some key players.
The Jamaicans will also play the South Koreans in a closed-door training session on September 6, and Donaldson will use the opportunity to look at new players in order to improve the player pool for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“We have to be competitive, that is the first thing. It is going to be a long trip, but these players know what’s at stake. They are trying to make a World Cup squad, so I shouldn’t be telling them to be competitive,” he said.
Donaldson said most of the players who recently helped the team qualify for a second successive World Cup are unavailable because of commitment to clubs and colleges, as well as for other reasons.
However, the search for new players will continue for the next two of the seven FIFA windows that will be available prior to the World Cup, so other players can stake a claim for places in the World Cup squad.
“The situation dictates what happens. We have seven windows, and in the first three windows we want to look at new players, but still we have to be competitive,” Donaldson added.
“The first window might just be the most difficult window, because a lot of players are just back with their clubs and with their colleges.
“It is hard for them to be released, especially the college players. So we are not banking on a lot of the college players. We will be looking at some new players. Some players are also injured and we are not going to chance them. It therefore gives us an opportunity to look at players who have been in the programme before, and others who are new to the programme,” he said.
Donaldson admitted that he would have preferred to have the core of the squad at his disposal for the game, but contends that improving the overall quality of the squad is essential going into a major tournament.
“You always want to have a look at new players, especially coming out of a tournament and qualifying for the World Cup. I wish we could have those (regular) players, but that is not how it goes.
“We have a pool and we want to make the pool a little bigger, and the only way we can do that is to test them; put them out there and see if they are good enough,” he said.