Reggae Boyz ambassador role excites Butler

Former national player Altimont Butler is relishing his role as ambassador for the Reggae Boyz at the Concacaf Gold Cup in providing counsel for their bid to secure a maiden continental title.

The Reggae Boyz will open their campaign against reigning champions the United States of America (USA) on Saturday in Chicago and have been in Chicago since Tuesday, completing their preparations, having been drawn with the USA, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago.

It will be the first continental tournament that head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson will lead the Reggae Boyz, and Bulter described the experience of being invited as an ambassador in their camp as an honour.

"It is a joy. It is a pleasure. It is something that has never been done by any national team coach to bring in past players to be ambassadors and be around the team. I'm familiar with quite a few of the players that I have coached in the past, and the newer ones are very receptive to what's going on," Butler said.

"So it is a good situation for us so we can have a question-and-answer session with the players and share our experiences, and they get to know us."

Butler represented Jamaica 69 times during his career, which started at Harbour View and was once an assistant coach for the national under-20 in 2015.

Being back in an environment in a major tournament is humbling for Butler, and he is eager to help this group of players in any way he can.

"It brings back a lot of memories. Seeing the reaction and the action of the players among themselves on the bus is nothing that we haven't done when I was a player. To be on this side, and to be a part of it, it brings back a lot of memories," Butler said.

While Jamaica are coming into the Gold Cup on the back of two defeats in recent friendlies, Butler is optimistic about these Reggae Boyz replicating the deep runs of past teams.

"I'm expecting the players to go out there and execute. It's just to focus and stay consistent with what we are doing. With the quality, I'm expecting good results," Butler said.