Keeping Hall ‘makes no sense’ – Jureidini

Harbour View Football Club’s general manager, Clyde Jureidini, believes the Jamaica Football Federation should move away from Paul Hall as head coach of the Jamaica men’s senior national football team, the Reggae Boyz.

Hall has club commitments with Queens Park Rangers’ under-23 team.

According to Juriedini, Hall’s record as national coach is not that great either.

He also found efforts to contract an already committed coach as “strange”.

“He seemed to be on trial, then they seemed to have given him full commitment to go ahead,” said Jureidini. “Then he wasn’t available (for recent mini tournament in Austria) and may not be available going forward.

“But all the decisions around Paul has been strange,” he commented.

Jureidini pointed that while Hall started to get a feel of the squad and would be in a good position move the programme forward, he thinks now is the best time to look to at someone who is fully committed.

GOOD MOVE

“A new coach will have to start the whole journey over again because he knows no one. But if it’s a long term journey with a commitment to a coach who is going to be here full time then that would be a good move in my view,” he continued.

“If Paul cannot commit long term it does not make sense for him or nobody else. We need a long-term commitment for the coach, whoever he is.”

Meanwhile, Stewart insists no nation wants a coach that is not available at all times, especially due to club commitments.

“I don’t know what was suggested to them (JFF) for them to change their approach, but I would support them on this move,” Jureidini noted. “A national coach should be a full-time coach, not a part-time coach who is available when his other job is not occupying him.

“He would be able to see the local talent and have them training on a regular basis so you can have a broader squad,” he added.

Nevertheless, he believes Hall still has a role to play, based on his knowledge and connections with English-based players.

“I do not have a problem if they keep him as an adviser. He is in the English environment and see players we normally wouldn’t. So he could recommend,” said Jureidini. “They (JFF) can see how he can serve in that way. But to have him as a coach makes no sense to me.”

However, Jurideini pointed the JFF already has people who per a scouting role in England and that a new coach may have difficulty trusting the previous one.

“The JFF already has scouts and agents in England, and some people when you fire them they may not be willing to work in another capacity. But there are already persons in that area who recommend players,” he said.

Hall took charge of the Reggae Boyz midway the World Cup qualification campaign and only managed one win and a draw in six matches.

In 10 matches, he has five defeats, three draws and two wins.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com