Wall has more to offer - JFF

JAMAICA FOOTBALL Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts says the organisation intends to continue working with John Wall, assistant coach to former Reggae Boyz coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who stayed behind after the Icelandic coach resigned and took up an offer to coach the Ireland national team.

Wall is the only member of Hallgrimsson’s backroom staff who remained in the island after the coach severed ties with Jamaica in favour of a jaunt with the Ireland national team.

Apart from serving as Jamaica’s assistant senior national team coach for 27 matches over two years, he also managed the FIFA talent-development scheme and was coach of the U20 team during the Concacaf Under-20 Championship qualifying round in St Kitts in February.

“Yes (we have plans to continue working with him),” Ricketts told a press briefing at the JFF on Tuesday. “That is something we will have to discuss. We will make that clear.”

Despite the experience and insight he could offer the new coach coming in, Ricketts declared that it would be a decision for the incoming coach if Wall should continue in the same capacity as assistant coach.

“I have no idea (if Wall is in the mix), but the new coach will decide on the position. Honestly, when we get a new coach (we will know).

“The precedence has been set where the (coach) will select his assistant. So he will make that determination whether or not he prefers to keep this set of assistants,” he said.

Whether or not Wall is assistant coach, though, Ricketts has made it clear that the Swede has more to offer to Jamaica.