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Hallgrimsson optimistic about Boyz’s future after Nations League success
March 26, 2024
Heimir Hallgrimsson, head coach of Jamaica's Reggae Boyz, believes their third-place finish at the Concacaf Nations League provided a continuation of their journey, which he hopes will end with their qualification for the World Cup in two years.
The Reggae Boyz were defeated 3-1 in their semi-final against the United States of America (USA) on Thursday in Arlington, Texas, USA. They returned on Sunday to clip Panama 1-0 to gain a historic third-place finish at the Nations League.
"It's just part of our journey. There is a saying: 'Success isn't a destination or date, but rather a continuous journey in the right direction', so we're working on improving this team. Our biggest goal, as a team, is to reach the World Cup, and this was a big step in playing important matches in a big tournament and against strong opponents," Hallgrimsson stated.
Reggae Boyz's Heart of Midlothian's wing back Dexter Lembikisa scored a cracking left-footed strike in the 41st minute, which was not only his first goal for Jamaica but importantly, the game-winner against Panama.
Hallgrimsson sang the praises of the 20-year-old, whom he added, has developed exponentially over the 16 games played for the Reggae Boyz.
"This kid (Lembikisa) has grown with every game he's played and has established himself as one of the best young fullbacks I know," Hallgrimsson stated.
Despite missing out on winning the tournament, the Icelander shared that the Nations League window showed the coaching staff the arsenal in their armoury, which augurs well for the selection pool for upcoming fixtures.
"Overall, this camp has given us more depth in the squad with players punching in and showing that they belonged in the starting line-up. Therefore, Jamaica is richer (in talent) after this camp. These guys played well in these two games in difficult situations," Hallgrimsson stated.
Jamaica will focus on World Cup qualifying and the Copa America in June. Hallgrimsson revealed that the coaching staff has already begun planning the execution of these two important missions.
"Now we'll start to analyse not only our Copa America opponents but also our World Cup preparation with matches against the Dominican Republic and Dominica in June. We must prioritise how we'll play against each opponent. The coaching staff is already planning how we'll go about business over the next two months," Hallgrimsson stated.
