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Reggae Boyz, Soca Warriors in MoBay showdown - McClaren says ‘it’s up to them’ to earn place in team
February 06, 2025
There are spots for the taking in Jamaica's senior men's football team and head coach Stephen McClaren says the opportunity is ripe.
Practically a fully local-based squad of Reggae Boyz will line up in Caribbean football's biggest rivalry against Trinidad and Tobago's Soca Warriors in the first of two international friendly football matches tonight at Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The second match will be played on Sunday, February 9 at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in the South St Andrew community of Arnett Gardens, at 8 p.m.
Asked how locals can fill the gaps, McClaren said training and the two games for the next couple of days will determine what is needed.
"This a true opportunity to actually be part of the squad. And you know, some of their rawness can be a strength," he related after a training session at Montego Bay Sports Complex yesterday evening.
Speaking about building his player-pool and referencing matches played since taking the reins as head coach on July 31 last year, McClaren acknowledged, "At the moment, I'm very pleased with where we are. We analysed the first six games, and when we break that down into halves, we've had 12 halves of football, and we've lost two of them, and both to the US, and both in the first half. But we won the second half in the US. Generally, it's been good."
MCCLAREN's RECORD
In those six games, the Reggae Boyz have won twice, drawn twice and lost twice. All matches were in the Concacaf Nations League, starting with a goalless draw against Cuba in Kingston, and followed by a 2-1 win over Honduras in Tegulcigalpa courtesy of an own goal and Michail Antonio's strike; a 2-0 win over Nicaragua in Managua when another own goal, plus Romario Williams' strike, sealed victory; plus a 0-0 draw with Honduras in the return clash in Kingston.
At the quarter-final stage, the United States registered a 1-0 victory at the National Stadium in Kingston, before winning 4-2 in St Louis. Demarai Gray scored the Reggae Boyz's goals in that game.
Both Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are building their team for very important assignments in the form of the Concacaf Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifiers, with the Gold Cup preliminaries set to begin next month.
GREAT RIVALRY
The countries have a great rivalry, even outside sport and as the players will be fighting for spots to represent their country in crucial upcoming competitions, they are expected to pour greater effort into what has traditionally been a no holds barred clash.
Dating back to 1935, the countries have met on 63 occasions and have an identical win record, 26 apiece.
They last played in a two-match international friendly series in the twin-island republic in early March 2024, with Kaheim Dixon scoring a 58th-minute winner in the first game and the second ended goalless.
"There's still a lot of things to improve, both individually. Can better players break into the squad? This is why this group is together. This isn't a group of local players, this is the Reggae Boyz, this is the senior national team representing the country," McClaren doubled down.
HUGE GAME
He said it is up to the players to move forward with the squad.
"This is a huge game, not just for us, but for them and the supporters. So we've said to them, this an opportunity to play for the Reggae Boyz, and it's an opportunity to be part of the squad going forward, which is what I want.
"Previous camps have produced Shaquan Davis, Richard King and Kaheim Dixon. Who's the next one? You'll be the next one. It's up to you," McClaren said.
"I saw Anglin (Jahshaun) for, I don't know, 45 minutes the second half one game in the Concacaf Cup, and I saw Tyree Magee on video about 10 minutes, and I picked them straight away. So it's about individuals impressing and, hopefully, being part of the squad going forward," added McClaren.
None of the recent goalscorers are part of this Jamaica squad.
FORM STRIKERS
The coach has selected the form strikers in the Jamaica Premier League, headed by leading goalscorer Warner Brown (Arnett Gardens) and second-place Jalmaro Calvin (Cavalier), and added Magee late.
Given that they have not had much practice and will be playing in a match situation for the first, McClaren said, "They have to play as a team. Sometimes that's difficult because of cohesion and, you know, different clubs, but we'll try and pick a team that's cohesive in certain areas. It's up to them."
T&T's head coach Dwight Yorke, in an interview posted on wired868.com, noted adding two schoolboys, Derrel Garcia and Lindell Sweento to his 26-man squad.
"Those two players remind me of when I started playing football for the national team. Obviously, I started playing [senior football] earlier than (Garcia at 17 years old), but it reminds me that we do have talent. Sweenie is also a young talent that I like," said Yorke.
He added, "The experience of going to Jamaica and playing in difficult surroundings can only improve them. So part of the journey for the current national team is to integrate these younger players like Sweento and Garcia."
Several of the T&T players, including defender Josiah Trimmingham, midfielder Darnell Hospedales and goalkeeper Aaron Enill, are familiar with Jamaican surroundings as they play professionally here at this very stadium with Montego Bay United FC. They should help in stabilising their team and its chances in a game where both players will be looking to emerge from under the microscope and become a permanent fixture for their country's important qualifying matches on the horizon.
