Edwards an option – Ricketts
JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) boss Michael Ricketts said Andrew Edwards was not fired and is among the candidates for the role of national Under-17 head coach, a job he previously held.
Edwards coached the Under-17 Boyz to the CONCACAF final round of World Cup qualifying, finishing third in Group C ahead of Honduras, who they defeated 3-1, but behind eventual finalists Mexico and the USA. However, the JFF decided against him continuing.
“We don’t have an Under-17 squad in training, right now, but we are looking to get one in place, about March or April. Of course, we are going to be looking at the available candidates,” said Ricketts.
“We have not yet given it a thought, but we know that Andrew Edwards’ contract expired after we were eliminated from the Under-17 World Cup qualifiers, which is a norm,” he pointed out.
NOT QUITE READY
“It is not a situation that he was fired. Once your campaign comes to an end, automatically, your arrangement with the JFF comes to an end, too,” Ricketts said.
“It is not a situation that we will not use Andrew again. He will be one of those who will look at, but we are not quite ready, so, about March or April, we will get an Under-17 squad ready.”
Meanwhile, Edwards said he would love to continue as a coach within the national programme, but would do so with reservations.
“I am a patriot. I love football,” he said. “That is my passion, and that (international football) is the highest level. If ever I am called to service and the conditions are right, then I’ll definitely go, but, based on the experience, I would not be able to go back with the same enthusiasm, because I certainly did not expect a sudden end to the whole thing.
“Even if there was consideration of me not to continue, I would have expected that would have been communicated to me in a timely manner,” Edwards added.