Busby: Burton will add great value to the team
Published:Saturday | October 19, 2024 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Reggae Girlz head coach Hubert Busby Jr says former Reggae Boy, Deon Burton, who became the latest addition to the Reggae Girlz coaching staff and who will be on the bench during the international friendly against France next Friday, will add great value to the team.
Burton, who scored four goals in five final-round Concacaf World Cup qualifying games in the historic 1998 campaign and was named Sportsman of the Year for 1997, will primarily work with the forwards.
“Burton is coming on to be one of the assistant coaches and primarily work with our forwards,” Busby told an online press conference to announce the squad for the France match.
“As you can see, we have an incredibly talented group led by one of the best strikers in the world (Khadijah Shaw). One of the things that we really want to improve on is for us to be a little bit better in front of goal. Having one of the best players in the world ( Shaw), scoring goals is important. But it is not just one aspect, (it’s) creating goals, creating opportunities (as well),” he said.
Burton, who holds an UEFA A licence, currently coaches West Bromwich Albion’s under-23s, with whom he won the 2021-22 Premier League Cup, and Busby believes having the England-based Burton will help them to manage and assess players much better in that country from now on.
“For players playing in the Women’s Super League, he is there. Deon will go and see some of the games in person when he can.
“He will bring on board all his expertise and, of course, he is so excited at giving back to the country that has given him so much. So we are excited to have him on staff,” Busby said.
However, Burton will have to wait a while longer before he gets the opportunity to work with Manchester City ace Shaw,who was left off the squad as she is currently experiencing passport issues.
Shaw missed a Women’s Champions League game in France last month because of the same problem. However, Busby expects his top striker to have the problem sorted out before the next window in November, when they are due to play two friendlies against South Africa.
“She has an issue that limits her travel with her passport. So she is looking to try and get things rectified next week. That is why she is not in the squad, and similarly with the likes of Konya (Plummer),” Busby said.
“Hopefully, we can have that resolved and have them for the next window. But it provides an opportunity to bring in some new players to evaluate in this phase of the programme. So we are really excited.”
Four newcomers have been called to the squad, including Liverpool women’s defender and captain Taylor Hinds, Plymouth’s midfielder Lulu Jarvis, former Chelsea midfielder Reanna Blades, and Ipswich Town Ladies striker, Natasha Thomas.
“We spoke to Taylor Hinds a few years ago. We are glad she is in our squad. Jarvis is another young player we have been monitoring. She just made the move from Brighton to Plymouth. She is another upcoming player. The same with Reanna Blades, who was at Chelsea and just moved to Burnley,” Busby said.
The full squad: (Goalkeepers) Rebecca Spencer, Sydney Schneider; (Defenders) Chantelle Swaby, Allyson Swaby, Taylor Hinds, Daneisha Blackwood, Vyan Sampson, Maliah Atkins; (Midfielders) Lulu Jarvis, Atlanta Primus, Jade Bailey, Drew Spence, Sade Adamolekun, Reanna Blades; (Forwards) Natasha Thomas, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Kayla McKenna, Jody Brown, Shania Hayles, Tiffany Cameron, Davia Richards and Mickayla Dayes