JFF plans Reggae Girlz send-off series
Ten-day camp in Amsterdam part of build-up to World Cup
Published:Wednesday | April 19, 2023 | 1:35 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
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GIVING ASSURANCES of better planning going forward, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says his organisation is closing in on a two-game home series, as well as an overseas camp to wrap up the national senior women’s team’...
GIVING ASSURANCES of better planning going forward, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says his organisation is closing in on a two-game home series, as well as an overseas camp to wrap up the national senior women’s team’s preparations for the Women’s World Cup.
Ricketts was speaking on Monday as the FIFA World Cup trophy made its way through select parishes on the Jamaica leg of its 32-country tour during a day-long stay.
Jamaica last played at home in November during a two-game series against Paraguay but their recent camp in England saw a number of administrative and travel issues that hampered the camp, despite a workmanlike 2-0 win over Sheffield United Women.
After JFF general secretary Dennis Chung gave the Girlz assurances of smoother preparations, Ricketts said plans are now being finalised for a two-game home series in Jamaica in June but also an overseas camp in Amsterdam before the Girlz travel to Australia for the Women’s World Cup
“We have been having discussions with entities overseas. We have a camp planned just before we go over to Australia. We have almost finalised those arrangements. Most of that has been sponsored. That would have helped us in a huge way,” Ricketts said.
“We want to have two games here in the June window. We are far advanced in those discussions. So we will have those two games and that final camp before we head down to Australia.”
The June window will be the final audition for the players before head coach Lorne Donaldson settles on his 23-player roster for the World Cup. He has until July 10 to submit his final roster but he has said that the squad will be known before that deadline.
While not revealing the teams the JFF are in advanced discussions with, Ricketts says the two-game series will be split between Montego Bay and Kingston. Ricketts is hoping to incorporate the series as part of celebrating the Girlz’s achievement of qualifying for back-to-back World Cups as a proper send-off to Australia.
“We would have had intense discussions with Sports Minister (Olivia) Grange. We will look at how best we can have a real proper send-off during that window,” Ricketts said.
“We are hoping that the facility in Montego Bay will be ready and then we will play a game in Montego Bay and, of course, the other in Kingston. Then we go to Amsterdam for 10 days before we go to Australia.”
Donaldson says that the meeting between the JFF and the team was one of the most productive things that came out of the training camp in England and believes that now there is a good understanding going forward to solidify their preparations.
“When things are not smooth we expect that some people are going to be disappointed. We are not going to go into that. I just want to make sure that we are going forward. I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it should be better,” Donaldson said.