Sun | Dec 8, 2024

Reggae Girlz coach on his last lap?

Donaldson ponders over contract renewal ahead of Canada tie

Published:Wednesday | September 20, 2023 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Reggae Girlz head coach, Lorne Donaldson.
Reggae Girlz head coach, Lorne Donaldson.

NATIONAL SENIOR women’s team coach Lorne Donaldson says his time as national team coach could be numbered, as he is presently out of contract and has had no discussion or invitation from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) regarding a renewal.

According to Donaldson, who recently created history when he led the Reggae Girlz to the Women’s World Cup round-of-16, the two-leg tie against Canada on the 22nd and 26th for a place at the Olympic Games could be his last for the country.

“People are asking ‘how long have I got?’ I don’t know. We could play these two matches and I am done. I don’t have a contract, so after these two Canada matches, I will not really be the coach of Jamaica,” said Donaldson.

Last September Donaldson and his staff signed one-year extensions to their contracts, which runs out at the end of the qualification tie, and so far the history-making coach said he has had no word from the federation about him staying on.

“You think that my contract will be renewed? I have not even looked at that. Because if they wanted to renew something, most countries would have had a discussion a long time ago.

“But this is Jamaica and the way we do stuff here we really do not take people into consideration. But they think that this is the only thing Lorne Donaldson can do.

“There is a lot of stuff I can do. The reason I am here is because of love for country and love for the Girlz. I coach both men and women’s football,” Donaldson reminded.

Still, Donaldson insists he has no problem passing the baton.

“At my age, getting up and doing this for so long, who knows? At my stage, you have to pass things on. What I would love to see is people ready to step in and keep it sustained.”

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com