Head coach plans to ‘keep things simple’

Reggae Boyz head coach Stephen McClaren will be keeping it simple when he steps into his first competitive game at the helm of the national programme against Cuba in the Concacaf Nations League at the National Stadium today.

The former Manchester United assistant coach said the priority will be to the keep the same principles and foundation which have been laid by former head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.

“We’ve tried to introduce one or two things but I think we need to keep things simple and I think the style of play has had success so I want to keep that,” McClaren explained at the pre-game press conference yesterday. “I want to keep the foundation and the basics that they’ve had for the past two years where they have developed.”

This will be Jamaica’s first game against Cuba since their last meeting in 2015 where the Boyz won 3-0.

McClaren explained while he will be picking up where Hallgrimsson left off, he will be working towards building on the work done over the last two years.

He stated a positive result against Cuba will be the first step in a long-term plan of moving up the FIFA World rankings as well as qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“I’m here to help the players go to the next step and the next level in which we can stay number one in the Caribbean but also get up the rankings in Concacaf and the ultimate goal, which is World Cup qualification in 2026.”

Positive vibes

The seasoned coach is positive ahead of his first match on Jamaican soil, having seen the energy from his players during their training sessions.

The team convened for camp during the week and McClaren has been impressed by the players’ performances so far.

He explained that the chemistry and energy has been high and will make a difference when they take to the field against Cuba.

“I like the spirit. I like the energy and I like them smiling. They enjoy being around each other and I like the training. They’ve put everything in the training session; the intensity and the desire to work, that’s what I’ve liked.”

He added: “It’s been great energy among the players, great spirit and they’ve shown that in training. We need now to transfer what they’ve shown on the field and get the result against Cuba.”