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Ricketts optimistic about coach, Jamaica senior team’s future
September 10, 2024
Although Steve McClaren's first game as Reggae Boyz head coach ended in a 0-0 draw with Caribbean neighbours Cuba, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts said it is work in progress and the future of the team looks very bright.
McClaren, the former Manchester United assistant coach, had just three days of training with the group and no practice match. However, the JFF boss said the performance on the night was 'decent' and anticipates that they will get better the more time McClaren has with the team.
"We played a decent game. But we lost composure in the last third. It's work in progress but this is the coach's first game. So we are very optimistic about the future," he told STAR Sports.
"This is the first game for the coach. The important thing (is) he did not lose. We would have loved to have the three points. But we are confident that down the road he will do well. So let's see what happens when we go to Honduras on Tuesday," he said of the Reggae Boyz's second Group B, League A Concacaf Nations League encounter against the Central American team.
Ricketts said the limited time McClaren had to familiarise himself with the players would have impacted how he managed the game and make substitutions.
Nevertheless, he thought the Cuban goalkeeper, Raiko Arozarena, was instrumental in the Spanish-speaking country getting a point.
"It (limited time) certainly would have negatively impacted the play today. Not sure how he would have interpreted how he managed the game. But he had his first session on Tuesday ... and I'm certain there would be a lot to learn from what happened this evening (Friday).
Continuing, he said: "We played a decent game but we just did not score the goals. Their 'keeper' was excellent. He made some brilliant saves and would have denied us a number of times. But interesting times are ahead."
Most Reggae Boyz fans came to the match expecting a comfortable victory and the fact that they saw no goals on the evening was a big disappointment.
"I haven't seen so many people in the stadium for such a long time, which tells the story that football is alive and well and we just now need to do things to make the fans happy. There were glimpses of brilliance, but I am sure they would have wanted to see some goals," Ricketts contended.
"I am disappointed we didn't score some goals. And I am certain the public and supporters who came out to watch the game, and those who didn't come and would have watched from home, they too would have been disappointed.
"But the Cubans defended well. They defended in numbers and we really didn't break down the Cuban defence."
Honduras and Nicaragua lead Group B in League A with maximum three points, with Jamaica and Cuba next on one point each. And although Ricketts believes the team will face a difficult test against the Hondurans today, he expects they will get better over time.
"Central American teams are always tough. But if you are going to qualify for the World Cup then you are going to have to beat some tough teams," he said. "Central American teams are hard to break down. But I have all the trust and confidence in the coach and his staff."
"The real big picture is the World Cup 2026. So these games, as important as they may be, are part of the process of getting to the World Cup.
"I think we will get better with time. He (McClaren) will have more opportunities to coach the players and to look at their strengths and weaknesses. So it's work in progress," the JFF president stated.
