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Football-
News
Interim National coach Theodore
Whitmore wasted little time in putting his stamp on the Jamaican
team that will be under his charge for World Cup qualifiers
against Mexico and Honduras on October 11 and 15 respectively.
The former national standout, now
in his second stint as interim coach chose a squad which saw a
massive overhaul from the previous ones selected under the watch
of former Technical Director Rene Simoes. The man who scored
Jamaica’s two goals in the country’s historic win over Japan at
the world Cup finals in France 1998 recalled no fewer than eight
players who had not featured for Simoes.
Chief among the players called in
are forward Marlon King, midfielders Jermaine Johnson, Oneil
Thompson, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Omar Daley as well as defenders
Claude Davis and Damian Stewart. Midfielder/forward Dane Richards
and forward Omar Cummings have also been recalled.
The trio of King, Daley and
Campbell-Ryce were not recalled after the Bahamas qualifiers.
King, who played in the first leg against the Bahamas, Daley, who
tasted action in both legs and Campbell-Ryce who was present but
did not see a single minute of action against them.
Thompson, who plays in Norway,
last represented the country against Guatemala and El Salvador in
November 2007. Dane Richards who also played in those games have
not donned the national colours since.
Johnson played as a substitute
against St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago as well
as Grenada in the matches leading up to the qualifiers against the
Bahamas but did not selected for the squad to face the Bahamas.
Damian Stewart on the other hand last represented the country in
February against Costa Rica while Omar Cummings had a promising
cameo against Canada on August 20 but was not invited for the
Mexico and Honduras matches.
Consistent with the faith shown
in the recalled players who played an exciting brand of football
for him in his first term as Interim Coach when he had wins over
Guatemala and El Salvador, Whitmore has again teamed up with
veteran coach Bradley Stewart.
Stewart, who is regarded as one
of the better football minds in the country, has been associated
with a number of local clubs such as Duhaney Park, Rivoli, Arnett
Gardens, Hazard and Waterhouse in different capacities. He is also
a former coach of the then Jamaica Juvenile team and was also
actively involved in the development of Women’s football in the
country.
The players will arrive in the
island between Sunday October 5 and Monday October 6, 2008 for the
games which will now be played at 7:00pm. Ticket prices will
remain the same but for Bleachers which has been reduced to
$1,000.00.
Walter Enrique Quesada Cordero of
Costa Rica will be the man in the middle for Jamaica’s crucial
game against Mexico. He will be assisted by compatriots Leonel
Leal Bermudez and Osvaldo Luna Gutierrez with Vinicio Gerrardo
Mena Solano serving as fourth official. Trinidad and Tobago’s
Osmond Downer will be the Referee Assessor while Hugo Salcedo of
the United States has been given the assignment of Commissioner.
For the Honduras game four days
later a Trinidad and Tobago quartet will be in
charge. Referee Neal Brizan will
be assisted by Michael Ragoonath and Simon Baptiste. Victor Moore
of Barbados will assess the referees while Victor Hugo Estrada
Barrios is the assigned Commissioner.
Jamaica’s Full Squad: Goalkeepers
– Donovan Ricketts, Shawn Sawyers; Defenders - Ricardo Gardner,
Ian Goodison, Claude Davis, Damian Stewart, Tyrone Marshall,
Jermaine Taylor, Shavar Thomas, Demar Stewart; Midfielders –
Rodolph Austin, Demar Phillips, Oneil Thompson, Jermaine Johnson,
Omar Daley, Wolry Wolfe, Jamal Campbell-Ryce; Forwards - Ricardo
Fuller, Marlon King, Luton Shelton, Dane Richards, Omar Cummings.
(Win a New KAPPA Reggae Boyz
jersey. Go to JamaicaWin.com blogs on home page and enter)
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