Whitmore calls on local Boyz for T&T friendly
JAMAICA SENIOR men’s team head coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore said that he is looking towards the players who were a part of the Gold Cup squad to lead the charge in the upcoming friendly international against Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago.
The local club players who were in the squad are – Ladale Ritchie, Rosario Harriott, Ewan Grandison, Michael Binns, Shamar Nicholson, Jermaine Johnson and Ricardo Morris.
Jamaica were beaten 2-1 by host, the United States of America, in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup last month. This is the first game for the Reggae Boyz since that tournament.
Whitmore selected an 18-man local-based squad to face Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, August 24 at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad, starting at 7 p.m. local time.
“Most of these players are in pre season training with their local clubs, but are match-rusty, except for the Portmore players who just finished playing in the CONCACAF League. This is a time for us to get together to see the level of fitness that the players, are in to play against Trinidad. I am very pleased with the work they are doing in the few sessions. Everybody is really pushing hard in training,” Whitmore said.
“The Gold Cup is a living testimony of what hard work can do, so it gives them more belief moving forward,” he pointed out.
“We also have some players who are doing well in their respective clubs. Once again, we call players, but they are the ones who determine whether they stay. We have belief in these players and that is the reason they are here,” the former Reggae Boyz captain and star midfielder added.
The full squad is: Amal Knight (UWI FC), Ladale Ritchie (Montego Bay United), Javain Brown (Harbour View), Rosario Harriott (Harbour View), Alex Marshall (Cavalier SC), Kaheem Parris (Cavalier SC), Jermaine Johnson (Tivoli Gardens), Marvin Morgan (Arnett Gardens), Vishinul Harris (Arnett Gardens), Fabian Reid (Arnett Gardens), Leonardo Rankine (Sandals South Coast), Shamar Nicholson (Boys’ Town), Jameil Hardware (Boys’ Town), Shaven-Sean Paul (Portmore United), Michael Binns (Portmore United), Ewan Grandison (Portmore United), Ricardo Morris (Portmore United) and Rondee Smith (Portmore United).