Hallgrimsson calls for support for Boyz

As national senior men's head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson prepares to make his home debut, he has called on fans to back the players as they begin to enact his vision for the team's immediate and long-term future.

Hallgrimsson named his 25-man squad for the two-game series against Trinidad and Tobago which begins on Saturday in Montego Bay and concludes next Tuesday in Kingston at the National Stadium. The team is fused with both local and overseas talent with Phoenix Academy's Dujuan Richards getting his first senior call-up and includes Mount Pleasant's Trivante Stewart and Cavalier's Collin Anderson, the top two goalscorers this season in the Jamaica Premier League. Additionally, young English-based talent with the likes of Chelsea's Omari Hutchinson, Wolves' Dexter Lembikisa and Tyler Roberts, Tottenham Hotspur's Dante Harvey and Fulham's Delano McKoy Splatt of Fulham have also been included.

The start to his tenure was rushed with games against Argentina in September three weeks after his appointment and Cameroon in November. This will be the first opportunity for the home crowd to get a first-hand glimpse of the man tasked to take Jamaica back to the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Hallgrimsson is hoping that the fans give the team their full support as they begin their journey hoping that they take lessons from four-time World champions Germany regarding team unity.

" ... The people we all have our opinions on who should be selected and who should play. But one thing that we can learn from the Germans is that once a squad is selected then the people stand behind the squad. After the tournament they can criticise and that is the difference between the Germans and most other teams," Hallgrimmson said.

Hallgrimsson believes that a large crowd in their two home games will inspire the players to deliver quality performances that they can be proud of.

"Maybe you are not happy (with the team choices) but you support the players that will represent you as a nation. So you should get behind these boys. We will have a better performance if more people come and support us," Hallgrimsson said.

The local based contingent trained at the National Stadium yesterday with the British-based players expected to arrive in the island today. Hallgrimsson was complimentary about the surface at "The Office" and hopes he gets a similar surface at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St James.