‘Whisper’ added to Boyz squad
A number of players are nursing injuries, says team manager Simpson
Published:Tuesday | October 10, 2023 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Team manager Roy Simpson has confirmed that young star Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards is a late addition to the Reggae Boyz squad for the team’s two upcoming Concacaf Nations League games.
Richards, who has been selected 11 times in the last 12 matches the Reggae Boyz have played, was left off the squad by head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson when the squad was originally announced last Friday.
However, Simpson disclosed that a number of players are nursing injuries, and Hallgrimsson decided to call in the 17-year-old as a late replacement.
“Yes, ‘Whisper’ is in. He went down (to Grenada) yesterday because of an injury to somebody,” Simpson told The Gleaner.
There were reports that Richards was set to replace West Ham striker Michail Antonio in the squad, but Simpson said that that is not the case. However, he revealed that the big England-born forward will only play in the Haiti game.
“Antonio is not out. Nothing like that (he is not being replaced by Richards). But Antonio will only play the game in Trinidad (against Haiti).”
A lot of eyebrows were raised last Friday when Hallgrimsson named his squad for the two matches and Richards’ name was absent from the list.
Richards, who officially becomes a Chelsea player next month when he turns 18, will join the London club in January when the transfer window opens.
Hallgrimsson declared that his reason for not picking the talented youngster was because of his lack of activity and drop in physical fitness as he is currently not playing any competitive football.
However, critics have argued that on none of the previous occasions that he was selected was he active.
Meanwhile, when quizzed on the players carrying injuries, Simpson insisted that he was not at liberty to disclose that information.
“A number of players are injured, so he (Richards) is replacing one of them, but I can’t disclose that (the injured players),” he said.
The Reggae Boyz will play Grenada on Thursday in Grenada and will oppose Haiti in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, October 15.