Great opportunity for locals – Waite
JAMAICA SENIOR team interim headcoach, Jerome ‘Jerry’ Waite, is highly confident that his local – based team will win their two upcoming friendly international games against St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
The Jamaicans will first tackle St Kitts and Nevis on April 26 and Antigua and Barbuda three days later. Some members of the team were set to leave yesterday afternoon, while the other members will depart today at 2:01 p.m.
Theodore Whitmore, who had withdrawn his earlier resignation as head coach, will also travel with the delegation, but Waite will be the technical man in charge of the games.
“It is an interim position as Theodore Whitmore is still the head coach. Basically, it is an opportunity for me to put the players selected in the right positions for the games,” Waite told The Gleaner ahead of his flight yesterday.
“I am pretty much confident in the team selected although it is local-based players. The players were active in the Red Stripe Premier League season and are pretty much in shape. It is a continuation of the federation (Jamaica Football Federation) giving local-based players the opportunity to display talent at the international level,” he pointed out.
“It is a good crop of youngsters mixed with senior players, so I am expecting good performances in the two upcoming friendly games. I want them to go out and enjoy the football and get the desired results,” added Waite, who is also head coach of Arnett Gardens.
He pointed out that the games are considered important, as the country looks to remain active and maintain their top 50 ranking.
INTERIM ROLE
“It is important to win the games because we are ranked at 48 on the FIFA rankings. We want to continue moving up, so winning is important for us. I have been around the programme as assistant coach and the players should be motivated, as they are given opportunity to show off their skill. It is also a good test for me being in charge in an interim role,” he concluded.
James Pearson – head of delegation
Jerome Waite – head coach Donovan Duckie – assistant coach
Warren Barrett – goalkeeper coach
Harry Nelson – physical trainer Roy Simpson – team manager Dr Fletcher – team Doctor Ashauna Davis – physiotherapist Garone Brown – masseur Norman Stone – equipment manager.
Squad: Amal Knight (UWI), Damion Hyatt (Arnett Gardens), Ladale Richie (Montego Bay United), Javain Brown (Harbour View), Shawn Lawes (Waterhouse), Ricardo Thomas (Waterhouse), Damano Solomon (Portmore United), Tevin Shaw (Tivoli Gardens), Fabion McCarthy (UWI), Kaheem Parris (Cavalier SC), Maalique Foster (Portmore United), Jamiel Hardware (Boys’ Town), Cardel Benbow (Waterhouse), Peter-Lee Vassell (Harbour View), Chevone Marsh (Cavalier), Fabian Reid (Arnett Gardens), Javon East (Portmore United), Marvin Morgan (Arnett Gardens), Alex Marshall (Cavalier) and Ricardo Morris (Portmore United).