No fear
McClaren wants mentally tough Reggae Boyz against ‘high-quality’ US
Published:Thursday | November 14, 2024 | 12:08 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
REGGAE BOYZ coach Steve McClaren faces his biggest test to date when Jamaica host the United States in the first leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal at the National Stadium at 8 p.m. this evening.
The Reggae Boyz have a dismal record against the US.
In 19 meetings, the Boyz have won just three times, drawn four, and lost 12, and McLaren believes that only a strong mentality can overcome and get the desired result against the Americans.
McClaren’s four matches to date have been Nations League games, winning two and drawing two.
Their strongest opponents over that run of games have been Honduras, who they defeated and drew with in two meetings.
However, with a place in the Nations League semi-finals at stake, and with the US historically having the better of the Caribbean team, McLaren said a tough mentality is going to be most important.
“The players have shown that they have that mentality to win games and have different ways to win games. That is important, and we will need all the ingredients against a very good and very strong USA team.
“The USA team has always got the better, and that can take you one way or the other. It can make you learn from that and come back stronger, or (it can make you have) no belief, no confidence,” he said.
“If you say ‘We are playing this (team) and we never win against them’, we don’t want that attitude.
“We are getting closer. It is only a matter of time, and as long as we keep the belief and confidence and not look at the opponents with fear but look at the opponents as a challenge.
“And I hope that tomorrow the players will look at the USA. What a challenge this game is. But that is what football is about, but once you get fear, you get inconsistency.”
NOT AVAILABLE FOR GAME
Reliable midfielder Bobby Reid and first choice centre-forward Mickel Antonio are not available for the game, and central defender Ethan Pinnock will miss the first leg in Kingston.
However, the team welcomes back Aston Villa ace Leon Bailey and Shamar Nicholson, while Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden (on loan to Queen’s Park Rangers) has been included for the first time.
McClaren admitted that the changes in personnel will impact his approach to the game but maintains that being mentally ready is crucial.
“We have introduced certain players, Norman Campbell, Tyreek Magee. They have done really well.
“We will miss Mickel. He is our focal point. We will miss Ethan for the first leg, but it is an opportunity for other players.
“But we need a strong mentality to win the game, more than probably talent, more than anything. But we need to be flexible. We need to be adaptable,” he commented.
McClaren said the Mauricio Pochettino-coached US are stacked with high-quality players playing for big teams in the big leagues across Europe and admitted that it will be a true test of where they are in terms of where they want to be by the time World Cup qualification begins.
“(We will approach it) the same way we approach every game, being organised and hard to beat, being good on the ball, and being good in possession.
“This game when I see the USA and us it could be a transition game, and we have to transition better than they do. So we have to defend well.
“[It will be a] tough game. (They have) good players. They are playing around Europe in top leagues, in top-five teams.
“It is not going to be easy, but this is why we are in football, for tests like this. So the gauge is, where are we at this present moment? After the game, we will know a lot more than what we did before.”
He added that both players and fans understand the importance of the game and the depth of the rivalry with the US, and he calls on the fans to make The Office what is was during the historic ‘98 qualification campaign.
“The players know it (rivalry) more than I do. The fans also. The fans are going to be so important for us, however we play, whatever we do.
“They are going to be our 12th man and help us to create The Office [atmosphere], and talking to the players, they know what they have to do. They know how tough this game will be,” he said.