From left: Jamaica's Minister of Finance and the Public Service, the Hon. Nigel Clarke, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Hon. Olivia Grange, UK Minister to Latin America and the Caribbean, Baroness Jennifer Chapman and Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith at Tuesday's press conference updating the media on the redevelopment of the National Stadium.
The redevelopment of the place that has played host to so many of Jamaica’s track and field heroes, the National Stadium, is close to beginning as Jamaica’s Ministry of Sport has accepted a joint proposal from UK based entities Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon to oversee the project.
Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Hon. Olivia Grange made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday providing updates on the redevelopment project.
“We met with representatives from both Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon and they submitted a joint proposal to us for the renovation and redevelopment of facilities at Independence Park, particularly the National Stadium,” the Minister said on Tuesday.
She continued: “The document, in essence, proposes to, not only address the shortcomings of the existing stadium, but to identify, through qualitative and quantitative assessment, the full potential for this iconic stadium with enhancement as a major tournament venue, training centre and visitor attraction to promote Jamaica and Jamaican sport talent.”
Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon have worked together many times and have been involved in stadiums around the world such as Wembley, the Emirates Stadium, the 02 Arena, Stadio Olimpico and the San Siro.
“My Ministry, through its oversight committee and the executing agency, Independence Park Limited, is of the view that Ryder Architecture and CAA Icon can deliver on the proposal given the entities’ years in the business of building and redeveloping sports facilities worldwide,” Grange said.
The project will see the capacity of the National Stadium increase from 28,500 to 35,000 and will make the country able to bid to host major global events like the World Athletics Championships.
Dispensing with the bleachers, establishing modern facilities for anti-doping, new facilities for media, the establishment of a modern and iconic sports museum, new modern lighting, new seating options, new conference and meeting facilities, premium suites and lounges and new concession facilities among other upgrades were discussed by Grange’s team and the entities.
The next step in the re-development project of the National Stadium is a stadium assessment and feasibility study.
“The study includes a thorough economic and feasibility analysis to identify local and international market demand to ensure that use, and therefore design proposals are aligned to economic demand,” Grange said before stating that these studies will commence in a few weeks and be completed within eight months.
The results of those studies will inform phase two which is the project initiation, concept design and approval stage.
Phase three will involve the detailed design and appointment of a contractor in which a groundbreaking date of August 2025 is being targeted.
Phase four will involve construction and phase five is the operational readiness and handover.
Grange anticipates that the whole project will last about 30 months or two and a half years.
The football field and running track will be unaffected during the construction process according to Independence Park Limited General Manager, Major Desmon Brown, who noted that the only inconvenience caused will be a limited capacity of seats for the duration of the process.
The funding for this project came from a government to government framework for co-operation agreement signed by Jamaica’s Finance Minister, the Hon. Nigel Clarke, and CEO of UK Export Finance, Tim Reid earlier this year.
Clarke, as well as UK Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, Baroness Jennifer Chapman, were both in attendance on Tuesday.
“UK Export Finance are delighted that this agreement will enable them to support Jamaica’s game changing national priority projects and is proud to back the implementation of high-quality UK solutions and innovations alongside UK Government funding,” said Chapman.
“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to get this deal over the finish line before the departure of Mr. Clarke for his next role at the IMF,” she added.
“When I met the head of the UK Export Finance at a function at the UK High Commission, light bulbs began to go off because there he was in Jamaica looking for business and engagement and I know have projects that we want to develop but where the technical capacity is not abundantly available in Jamaica, for obvious reasons,” Clarke said.
“Sparks began to fly about how we could use the format of a government to government co-operation with the UK Export entity to provide the framework through which the feasibility could be delivered and the construction to follow for the stadium,” he added.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Portugal lacked 'a little bit of magic' in Scotland stalemate, says Martinez
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez was in a defensive mood following his team's goalless draw away to Scotland in the Nations League on Tuesday night.
After scoring in each of the Spaniard's first 12 competitive matches in charge of Portugal, the Selecao have since drawn a blank in four of their last seven matches.
Portugal did have their chances, however, registering 14 shots during the contest, though only three were on target, ending the night with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.52.
Martinez faced criticism for lacking a plan B after his side struggled to break the Scots down.
"Our talent of our players, is plan A, B, C, D, E," he told De Sporto after the match.
"We have players inside, outside, we are talking about a team that did not take risks, that defended very well.
"We are talking about a team [Portugal] that reached 53 times in the last third. We have to give credit to Scotland and to us the fact that we managed to keep a clean sheet."
It was a frustrating night for Martinez and fans alike.
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Jota among other big hitters starting, they were unable to find a way past 41-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who made some impressive saves when they did get in on goal.
When asked what was missing from the performance, he alluded to a lack of individual quality.
"A decision, a little bit of magic in the area. We had a lot of desire, we worked very well without the ball," Martinez said.
"It was a dangerous game because we could have possession of the ball, but Scotland have little need to score a goal. We showed freshness, but we lacked freshness in the last third.
"You also have to give credit to Scotland, they had a lot of players in front of goal, their goalkeeper also made a spectacular save."
Following the performance and result at Hampden Park, there have been further questions about Martinez's selection policy for Portugal.
The most high-profile query of all remains whether 39-year-old Ronaldo should continue, having had a difficult night on his 200th start for his country.
"The national team always has an open door, but now we are talking about a very, very large group of players," said Martinez.
"It is a question of continuing to connect and synchronise what we can do. Now the game in Porto is to celebrate qualification in front of our fans."
Scotland manager Steve Clarke, meanwhile, was much happier with the evening's result, which ended a four-game losing run for Scotland.
"It's not about turning a corner, it's just about working hard and not letting the country down. You could see that tonight," he said.
"The point was important for us after the work the group put in to get off the mark."
The result also marked Scotland's first clean sheet since beating Gibraltar 2-0 seven games ago in a pre-Euro 2024 warm-up friendly.
The performance at the back was another thing that pleased Clarke.
"Defensively sound, the shape of the team was good," he said.
"We denied a lot of space in behind. Good concentration in the box, determined defending at times, some really good blocks, which you need against sides like Portugal.
"Everyone contributed to earn the point."
Despite taking an unexpected point, Scotland are still bottom of their Nations League group, while the draw means they are winless in 10 matches - their longest ever run.
But Clarke feels the players will take a lot from Tuesday's match that will help them going forward.
"Everyone keeps talking about confidence, but they know they can play well," he said.
"We maybe didn't play as well as we could on the ball, which could be down to fatigue. But I don't think they lack confidence. Tonight's point will give us more confidence."
Morata predicts bright future for 'special' Spain after Serbia triumph
Alvaro Morata expressed his excitement about the future of the Spanish national team after they confirmed their place in the Nations League quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Morata netted Spain's second goal in their 3-0 win over Serbia, having missed a penalty 11 minutes earlier, with Aymeric Laporte and Alex Baena also on target for La Roja.
Luis de la Fuente's side have now won 12 of their 15 matches in all competitions this year (D2 L1), equalling their most victories in a single calendar year since 2013.
Despite missing seven of their regular first-team players, including the likes of Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Dani Olmo, Spain made light work of Dragan Stojkovic's side in Cordoba.
And their latest victory has captain Morata looking forward to the future, with the Milan striker confident of building on their Euro 2024 success.
"We are in another final stage of a major tournament and that is something to be proud of," captain Morata told Spanish public television TVE.
"It seems easy because we are always there in the final stages but sure it isn't so we have to understand how special it is and give it the proper value it has.
"We have several injured players, we missed them but we have to look at the positives that are young players stepping up.
"What we have created is special, and we have to keep going forward. Spain has an incredible future."
De la Fuente, however, was more measured in his assessment of proceedings.
The Spain manager watched on as his side registered 30 shots, 10 of which were on target, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.92.
They also restricted Serbia to just one attempt throughout, though De la Fuente insisted he still wants to see improvements from his players.
"Blessed problem. God willing that it continues like this for a long time. When you have a lot of winning streaks you are closer to losing than winning," De la Fuente said.
"We are not satisfied. This team is insatiable sportingly, it wants more and more. We do it with so much joy, we already enjoy it so much that it is difficult not to be like that.
"Let's try to see how far we go. When it is not achieved, one day it will not be achieved, because we will have to understand that this is how sport is.
"We will begin another cycle. Whoever wants to beat us will have to do very well."
Scotland 0-0 Portugal: Tartan Army eke out first point of Nations League
Scotland have their first point of their 2024-25 Nations League campaign, having held Portugal to a 0-0 draw at Hampden Park.
The match itself was not a great spectacle with limited chances either way, as Cristiano Ronaldo's 200th start for Portugal ultimately ending in disappointment.
It was a performance of grit over style for Steve Clarke's side, though, who managed just three shots during the match.
Portugal came closest to finding the net, with Craig Gordon getting down expertly to stop Bruno Fernandes slotting home from a Rafael Leao cutback in the 87th minute.
The draw leaves Scotland bottom of Nations League Group A1, although their first point means the gap to third-placed Poland stays at three points ahead of the two meeting in the November international break.
Portugal, meanwhile, are top of the standings on 10 points and know a point from their remaining two games will seal their progression to the quarter-finals, after maintaining their three-point buffer to second-placed Croatia following their 3-3 draw with Poland.
Data Debrief: Scotland ruin Ronaldo's landmark appearance
After scoring in each of Roberto Martinez’s first 12 competitive matches in charge of Portugal, the Selecao have since drawn a blank in four of their last seven matches under the Spaniard.
Portugal attempted 715 passes tonight - their highest number in this Nations League campaign, with their 14 attempts the lowest they have managed in the competition this term, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.52.
Scotland, meanwhile, are now winless in their last 10 competitive matches (D4 L6), their longest-ever run without a competitive victory, though they managed to keep a clean sheet against a team above them in the FIFA rankings for the first time since a 2-0 win over Spain in 2023.
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