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McClaren banking on Hayden to fulfil missing link
November 14, 2024
Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren is hoping newly-acquired Reggae Boy Issac Hayden can be that ideal number six the team has been missing, by showing his quality when the Reggae Boyz face off against the United States (US) in their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal first-leg football match at the National Stadium today at 8 p.m.
Since Peter Cargill, who anchored Jamaica's midfield during the successful 1998 World Cup qualification campaign, the Boyz have been searching for a quality central midfielder to create that perfect balance between defence and attack, and McClaren believes that in the Newcastle midfielder they might just have found their man.
"I have followed Isaac's career from his Arsenal days, all the way through. He is a player with great talent. He has been unfortunate to get injuries, which can curtail a career," McClaren explained.
"But at his age now the game becomes not easy, but you start to read it better, use your experience more and that is what we need. We need someone who is an expert in that position," said McClaren.
Joel Lattibeaudiere had been the regular in that position for the last two years, and although he has been valuable on the defensive side, his contribution going forward is limited.
"That person, that midfielder and what we are trying to do, we haven't quite got it at the present, that link from the back to the front, which is probably one of the reasons why we are not creating enough," McClaren analysed.
"So that will be one of the responsibilities when Isaac plays, to create that link from the back to the front, and to have the ability to receive the ball with back to goal, facing the goal and side on and get out of tight areas. We know his defensive side. We know that he is smart, and interceptions are key."
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old, who was born in England but has his roots through his father who was born in St Catherine, said he is fully committed and ready to give his all for the Boyz against the US and going forward.
"I'm a fully committed player. Anyone who knows me or see me play knows I am a highly committed player and someone who gives a 110 percent every moment of every game and every training session I always want to win," Hayden stated.
"We've got two massive games coming up and it is for me to bed (dig) in and contribute as much as I can, however many minutes that is I'll give 110 percent and see where that takes us," he said.
Although known for his work ethic and defensive capabilities in midfield, Hayden pointed out that he has also improved his ability to control games.
"It doesn't matter how old you get I still have that dog (fight) in me. I am a fighter. I give everything from minute zero to minutes to the hundred. That is always going to be in me. It is never going to leave me.
"But as you get older you learn the game a little bit more. You can read the game a bit better than when you were younger," he explained. "But the duels, the physicality. that is still my game. On the ball I have certainly improved to be a bit more of a controller but the defensive side of my game that's me," he commented.
