The 29-year-old FC Cincinnati forward has been accused of making a false, fraudulent or incomplete insurance claim and theft by deception in Carroll Township, Pennsylvania.
Media reports say that according to court documents, the complaint against Mattocks was first filed on December 5, 2019, in which bail was set at $50,000. A formal arraignment is scheduled for February 27, 2020.
Mattocks was about to begin his second season at FC Cincinnati. Last season he scored three goals for the club in 21 appearances.
An eight-year veteran of Major League Soccer (MLS), Mattocks has played for the Vancouver Whitecaps, DC United and the Portland Timbers.
Whitmore, who signed a new four-year contract with the JFF in 2018, has largely stayed on the sidelines as some members of the national squad and the JFF have wrangled over contractual negotiations for the past few months.
The coach has, however, on occasion made his frustrations know, mostly as it relates to dissatisfaction with the lack of organisation and lack of resources available for the national program.
In addressing the ongoing issue during a recent interview with YouTube channel Reggae Boyz Commentary, Lawrence highlighted a few of the issues that also impacted the coach. The defender pointed to the fact that the team has only one physiotherapist and one equipment manager as some of the issues that have impacted the unit. Whitmore has in addition requested a video analyst as part of his technical staff but, to date, no such post has been created.
“What Tappa has been doing with the limited number of resources that he has; you want to break that up? Tappa is getting it right and we have a short space of time and he is doing his best to make everything work and the Federation is cutting his legs from under him,” Lawrence said.
“We want them to understand where we are coming from and just be honest. They share things in TV interviews that are nowhere close to what is the truth. Tell the Jamaican people what is going on,” he added.
“The players reach a level where they are fed up. If the (JFF’s) approach is “hol this” then bring who wants to go to the Gold Cup (to play) without 2 or 3 medical staff, physio or a technical coach, because these are the things that will get us to win in the finals, not just being there.
It’s a difference between us and the USA because every time they do well they look at what they have done and they bring more to the table in terms of video sessions, anything to help.”
Whitmore led the team to the 2017 Gold Cup final, the second time it has done so in its history.
The 35-year-old defender had been without a club since May of this year, after being released by English Championship club Bristol City. The player had, however, continued to show strong form with his country’s national team, playing in 6 games.
Mariappa was linked with a move back to England with Sheffield Wednesday, who are coached by another former Jamaica international Darren Moore. The club reportedly offered the out-of-contract player a deal, but he opted for the Super League move instead.
For his part, Mariappa insists he is excited and looking forward to the new challenge.
“I want to thank the owners and the football staff for having faith in me and making this happen,” Mariappa said.
“When the opportunity to join the Bulls arrived, it was one I couldn’t turn down. It’s an exciting new challenge for me in my career and that for me is what I thrive off,” he added.
“I’m hungry to achieve great things with the club and create new memories with the team and the fans.”
Macarthur have won one and drawn one of their two games so far in the 2021/22 season.
According to the forward, currently on-loan at Queens Park Rangers from Watford, players that are called up for countries from the CONCACAF and Confederation of African Football (CAF) often faced increased pressure as clubs regard the decision in a negative light.
By contrast, players being called up for the England team is viewed as a positive and attracts much less scrutiny. In truth clubs and countries have often found themselves locked in conflict regarding the use of top international players during international windows.
Most recently things came to a head when English League clubs attempted to block, and in some instances prevented players from travelling to Africa, South America, and the Caribbean due to travel restrictions and quarantine measures that were put in place. In retaliation, the countries affected threatened to use their power under FIFA regulations to ban players for one league match.
“If England call there is going to be no arguments. The minute you get called up for Nigeria or Jamaica it’s an inconvenience and a risk to the club,” Gray said in an interview with The Athletic.
“It’s just a stereotype around it. It is the same with AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations), which is scheduled to start in January. That has more respect around it now because of people like Mo Salah,” he added.
Blake finished behind Matt Turner of the New England Revolution who helped the team to its first-ever Supporters’ Shield with a new single-season points record.
Turner secured a total of 43.60 percent of the vote, followed by the Jamaican shot-stopper who claimed 10.43. Blake has posted another solid season for the Philadelphia Union getting a total of 13 clean sheets and a save success ratio of 76 percent. Blake previously won the award in 2016 and last year when he finished ahead of Turner.
Turner set a new Revs franchise record with 17 regular season wins, which tied him for the overall MLS lead. The goalkeeper’s 1.25 goals-against average and 74.2 save percentage both ranked in the top-10 among goalkeepers with at least 24 starts, and his two penalty kick saves were the second-most in the league.
The votes are placed by MLS club technical staff, media, and current MLS players.
According to the South London Press, the south-east London club is “closing in on a transfer” for the “pacey 19-year-old winger,” who represents Arnett Gardens Football Club in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
Dixon’s agent, Kevin Cowan, told the local media recently that a number of clubs from Belgium, Denmark, and Portugal, as well as the US-based MLS, stated their interest in the player.
However, it is Charlton Athletic, which competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system, that is the current frontrunner.
“The expectation is that he’ll eventually transfer abroad during the summer, but we’re still evaluating the different possibilities,” Cowan said.
Should Dixon transfer to Charlton, he will join fellow Reggae Boy Karoy Anderson, a product of Charlton’s Academy, who made his international debut for Jamaica in 2023.
Ricardo Fuller, who paraded his skills from 2012–2013, and Michael Hector, who left the club in June, are the other notable Jamaican internationals that have graced the club that plays its home games at The Valley.
Dixon, who made his senior Reggae Boyz debut in Concacaf Nations League action against United States in March, tallied six goals in 13 appearances for Arnett Gardens last season. He also has two goals in eight international appearances so far.
The 26-year-old player found himself the target of racist online abuse following the team’s loss to Birmingham City last weekend. The forward was the third Swansea player since February to suffer the issue.
In response, Swansea announced that the club would boycott any social media-related activities for two weeks. They were joined in the effort by Scottish club Rangers. The player hopes the effort will at least bring more attention to the issue or push social media platforms towards a response.
The issue of the right to online anonymity has provoked fierce debate since the early days of the internet. At current, individuals are not required to provide identification in order to sign up for accounts, Lowe believes that could part of the issue.
“At the moment, no one knows who is abusing any of us,” Lowe told Sky Sports.
“You’ve got an Instagram account, or a Twitter account or whatever when you sign up, put your email address in, put your national insurance number in or your passport number in, your driver’s license number, something that can identify you as a person,” he added.
“Something that can be linked back to who you really are and not just a page you created in five minutes, send some abuse and delete it because that’s a never-ending story.”
According to a report in The Guardian, Morrison, during his interview under caution, claimed he bought the badge from “someone in Old Trafford” for £50. The former Manchester United representative was subsequently charged with one count of fraud.
Morrison, 30, who currently represents DC United in Major League Soccer (MLS) appeared before Manchester magistrates court to plead guilty to the offence on Thursday. He was fined £1,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £508.32 and a victim surcharge of £400.
Manchester city council enforcement officers began their investigation in May into a white Audi S3 parked in Bridgewater Street which was displaying a blue badge.
Blue badge permits are given to people with disabilities or health issues, whose mobility is limited. It entitles those individuals to park free of charge in spaces that are often closer to shops and destinations.
The police discovered that the badge’s holder died in February 2022, and was no longer valid. The vehicle was issued with a penalty charge notice and was removed to the Manchester vehicle pound. Morrison reclaimed his vehicle later the same day.
“This ruling shows that the law is applicable to everyone, with no exceptions. I am grateful for the diligent work of our investigating officers, as well as legal counsel, who were able to successfully prosecute this case,” a spokesperson for Manchester city council said.
“Our officers patrol the streets daily to ensure that blue badges are used legitimately, and we will not hesitate to take action if we discover people trying to circumvent the law,” they added.
Morrison’s topsy-turvy career, playing for 13 clubs around the world after leaving Manchester United in 2012. He has so far made 18 appearances for Jamaica with three goals to his credit.
A free agent since parting ways with Major League Soccer side DC United at the beginning of this year, Morrison is eager to return to regular football action, sparking the interest of clubs across the English Championship.
Sheffield Wednesday, currently grappling with the challenges of a survival fight in the Championship, sees Morrison as a potential boost to their attacking options. The free agent status of the Jamaican international has also piqued the interest of League One promotion hopefuls Bolton and Peterborough, both aiming to strengthen their squads for the crucial final weeks of the season.
Having made his debut for Jamaica in November 2020, Morrison showcased his prowess by scoring his first international goal in a crucial World Cup qualification match against Honduras in March 2022. However, despite his impressive international outings, the 31-year-old has been sidelined from the Reggae Boyz squad since March 2023 due to a lack of club football activity.
Should Morrison secure a contract with any of the three English Championship clubs currently courting him, it could potentially reignite his chances of returning to the national team. The window of opportunity, however, seems tight, with Jamaica's Reggae Boyz gearing up to face the United States in the CONCACAF Nations Cup semi-finals in late March.
The possibility of a move to Sheffield Wednesday adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, considering Morrison's past stint with their cross-city rivals Sheffield United during the 2019-20 season.
With a football journey that has taken him through clubs in six different countries, Morrison stands at a crossroads, contemplating a return to the league where it all began for the talented midfielder, or the prospect of venturing into League One for the first time in his career.
Aleksandr Sobolev opened the scoring when he put Spartak ahead in the 10th minute, a lead they held until Arsen Zakharyen pulled Dynamo level in the 55th minute. The sides remained deadlocked until Dutch player Quincy Promes scored the winner in the 72nd minute.
Nicholson played his part in the victory when he replaced Mikhail Ignatov in the 66th minute as Spartak got their fifth hold on the Russia Cup.
The 25-year-old Nicholson signed with Spartak Moscow in December 2021 on a four-and-a-half year contract from Belgian outfit Charleroi. He made 76 appearances for Charleroi scoring 30 goals.
After a self-imposed break from Jamaica's national senior team, Nicholson was recalled to the Reggae Boyz squad for upcoming Nations League matches against Suriname on June 4 and 7 and Mexico on June 14.
However, the player will be able to continue playing this season and in the upcoming world cup qualifiers with the use of a protective face shield.
Nicholson was forced to leave the field in the second half of the match after he was hit in the face during a violent collision with Brandon Mechele.
The striker jumped to head a ball on goal but Mechele, the Club Brugge defender, in challenging for the ball, headed Nicholson in the jaw, rendering the Jamaican unconscious for a short time. Reports on the incident said Nicholson tried to play on after regaining consciousness but was unable to continue and was substituted.
Immediately afterwards, club officials feared Nicholson have suffered a broken jaw but were awaiting the results of additional tests. Their fears were proven valid as Reggae Boyz team manager Roy Simpson confirmed this morning that Nicholson suffered a minor fracture but will be able to continue playing this season with the use of a protective face shield.
Nicholson scored both of Jamaica’s goals in the Reggae Boyz first three World Cup qualifiers in the Octogonal round. He scored Jamaica’s only goal in Jamaica’s 2-1 loss to Mexico and scored the equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Costa Rica in San Jose.
Jamaica’s next round of qualifiers begins on October 7 against the United States. The Reggae Boyz then take on Canada on October 10 before facing Honduras on October 13.
Shaw will turn out for Atletico Ottawa after signing a two-year deal last Thursday.
The deal ended Shaw’s relationship with Jamaican Red Stripe Premier League outfit, Portmore United.
Before Shaw, Alex Marshall and Nicholas Nelson, were also announced as entrants to the league.
Shaw is hoping that his efforts with Ottawa will mean he finds his way into bigger markets down the line.
“Trying to one the standout players in my role and also be a leader; add few goals, few assists and continue to work my socks off to get a few more national call-ups and take it from there. (Also) to make the transition to a better set-up into the wider world because I aspire to play at the highest level,” said Shaw.
The Canadian Premier League has been suspended until April 11.
Nicholson, a former Boys’ Town footballer, transferred from the Red Stripe Premier League and now plies his trade in Belgium’s Jupiter League.
Charleroi, for whom he plays, are currently third in the league but its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic has left him in a difficult place.
“[…] it’s a difficult situation as it’s not vacation time and I’m not used to not playing football now in season time, it feels so weird,” said Nicholson in an interview with Jamaican newspaper, The Gleaner.
The 23-year-old is keeping in shape while the league is suspended courtesy of a personal trainer and a programme the club has written for his daily exercise at home, but that is not enough.
“I’m in Charleroi and when you go out, you don’t see people outside, you hear no noise, nothing, it’s so weird. It has affected the whole country and, as we speak, it’s affecting the whole world and now it’s football season and there is no football, it’s just staying home and you get so tired of staying home, even though training is hard,” said Nicholson.
Nicholson had scored nine goals for Charleroi before the forced break, with just one player having scored more for his side.
There was just one game remaining in the regular season by the time COVID-19 fears put an end to football in Belgium, with Charleroi in third place, one point of a Champions League spot.
Nicholson wants the league to play that one remaining regular season game, even if there are no playoffs to come after.
“It would mean so much to me if the team should qualify automatically for the Champions League, it would mean a lot,” he said.
The man who has scored seven goals in 18 appearances for Jamaica believes that the re-start of all the leagues around the world will be tough because teams usually develop momentum along the way as the players become more match ready as the season progresses.
Because of the break, he says, there was no way of telling which teams would start quickly.
It is a position with which JFF President Michael Ricketts appears to agree. Sportsmax.TV has obtained a Whatsapp voice note created Saturday night in which a player speaking on behalf of the team, is heard demanding Wint’s resignation and President Ricketts seemingly agreeing with the players.
“On behalf of the team, captain, vice captain, we are asking Mr Wint to resign. That’s the only way we move forward. Can we get your word on that?” said an unidentified player.
A voice sounding like the JFF president responded, “I am saying I agree.”
“You agree as the president. Okay,” the player said in reply.
This latest fallout stems from a situation that developed in Suriname on Saturday night where the Reggae Boyz played to a 1-1 draw with the home side in their opening match of the CONCACAF Nations League.
After the match, the players came to the realization that they did not have a return flight to Jamaica for the return match on June 7. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Jamaica was to have shared a charter flight with the Suriname national team back to Jamaica on Saturday night. However, Jamaica is alleged to have failed to come up with their share of the cost of the flight.
The players are reportedly still in Suriname.
Calls to both JFF President Ricketts and General Secretary Wint went unanswered up to the time of publication on Sunday.
It is unknown what arrangements are being made for the players to get back to Jamaica to prepare for their match against Suriname and their upcoming match against Mexico on June 14.
Waite is to be replaced by Merron Gordon, a past assistant coach at the National Under 23 level and former Head Coach for the Senior women's team. Gordon will join the recently appointed Assistant Coach Paul Hall in this position. Both assistant coaches will join Head Coach Theodore Whitmore at the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup.
There is no word on where Waite will end up.
The decision was taken to re-assign Waite at the quarterly board meeting held on Tuesday, June 29, after it approved a recommendation from the Technical and Development Committee (T&DC).
Coach Waite had previously served at the National Under 20 and Under 23 levels and a final decision on the re-assignment is to be recommended by the committee.
The JFF said the decision regarding Coach Waite's reassignment was a decision of the Board of Directors, the only legitimate body that can take that decision, and that Head Coach Whitmore was not involved in the decision.
The matter took on added significance when Cedella Marley, who is a mentor and fundraiser for Jamaica’s senior women’s team posted on social media that she stands behind the Philadelphia Union shot-stopper over his omission from the team.
Marley has been critical of the Jamaica Football Federation in the past over their handling of the affairs of the senior women’s team.
However, at Friday’s press conference where the JFF formally introduced Icelander Hiemir Hallgrimsson as the new head coach for the senior men’s team, the coach indicated that his selection of the team was guided by ‘technical members” of the JFF.
“For me, in the best case scenario, it’s embarrassing. We had a talk, the case is settled he is in the squad and hopefully me as the coach can start this cooperation with the captain of the team we can have a good relationship,” he said.
According to the new coach, Blake’s omission from the Reggae Boyz squad was not intentional on his part.
“For me, I had a short time to finish the contract, decide to come here and it’s one matter, we play Argentina in three weeks. I had to either sit in the stands or watch the game or just jump in the pool.
“I totally admit that I don’t that much about Jamaican football yet but for sure I will try to do my best to know a lot more next time. So decided to jump, and start working and the first thing was to select a squad so I had good help from the technical staff.
“The criteria for us in the first camp was to try to have players who are playing at the highest level. I hope we can start with everyone with a clean slate, so everyone has the same chance of playing for the national team. So we helped each other to select the squad based on previous national team matches and squads.”
Hallgrimsson said they looked at more than 100 players who had represented the Reggae Boyz in the last three years. “This is how we started, this is how we selected the squad,” he said.
He said that he hopes that the problems of the past between the Reggae Boyz and the JFF will remain there as Jamaica’s football looks to a brighter future.
“All projects have their problems from the past and I hope that all the things that happened in the past are in the past. I hope that when we start we don’t take the problems from the past to the present.”
Damion joins the league of famous Digicel faces and takes his place among the Digital Operator’s galaxy of stars in athletics, music and entertainment.
Lowe joins the Digicel brand ambassador roster on the heels of the company’s deepened commitment to local football through a $200 million, three-season sponsorship of the redesigned Jamaica Premier League.
In welcoming Lowe to the Digicel family, Chief Marketing Officer for Digicel Jamaica, Nasha-Monique Douglas, noted that given his experience representing Jamaica internationally, and participating in leagues in the US, Europe, and Egypt, the international defender will serve as an excellent role model and mentor for young and aspiring footballers across the country.
She remarked, “Damion has represented his country brilliantly and his talent has been recognised by teams and leagues across the world. His work ethic and dedication to perfecting his craft make him an ideal brand ambassador for Digicel as we continue to inspire younger generations of Jamaicans to strive for excellence. We are delighted to have him as a brand ambassador, and we look forward to the tremendous positive impact that this partnership will deliver for our customers.”
Known for his clever skills in strengthening a team’s defence, the quick-footed and outspoken Lowe is considered a real threat to his opponents. He continues to set and conquer new goals throughout his football career.
“I'm happy and proud to be a part of the Digicel Jamaica family. Digicel has been a powerhouse in both sponsorship and support of football across Jamaica and the Caribbean for many years. I look forward to adding to that legacy. I'm excited to work with their team and the other ambassadors under the Digicel umbrella,” commented Lowe.
In his new role with Digicel, fans and football enthusiasts are set to be inspired by his strengths as a player, in addition to his wisdom as a mentor and role model for those who aspire to make it the world of football and sports, in general.
Lowe joins the lineup of Digicel Brand Ambassadors including the world’s fastest man and Digicel Chief Speed Officer, Usain Bolt; world-leading sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; world Under-20 100M and 200M sprint champion, Briana Williams; Special Olympics champion, Alphanso Cunningham; dancehall legend, Bounty Killer; reggae sensation, Jesse Royal; and, media personalities Khadine ‘Miss Kitty’ Hylton and ZJ Sparks.
Jamaica has struggled offensively in their World Cup Qualifying campaign so far only managing six goals in their first eight matches.
Hall says getting the ball forward is a priority but a balance needs to be found.
“What we need to think about is a balance with everything. We need to be able to get the ball forward, obviously. We’ve been using our full-backs to get forward and try to get crosses in,” Hall said.
One approach that the team has tried is to use a target-man approach with West Ham striker Michail Antonio. This was evident in the team’s 3-0 loss to Panama on September 5.
Panama countered that approach by putting two centre backs on Antonio and essentially taking him out of the game.
Hall, however, sees progress from his team where that style of play is concerned.
“I think you’re starting to see the team take shape. The ball is going up to Michail Antonio and it’s starting to hold. He’s starting to get some players to support him. We’re able to build a little bit more,” said Hall.
When questioned about the formation of the team going forward, Hall said his emphasis will be on style rather than position.
“I like to build play. I like to get midfield players on the half-turn, playing it forward. It’s not necessarily a formation, it’s a style so whether you play 3-4-3, 3-5-2, 4-3-3, the players all know what style they’re playing in. They want to be able to play one and two-touch, circulate the ball really quickly and make it difficult for people to get close to you so it’s really important that we get the work into the players,” he said.
Hall reiterated that while it will be difficult to implement all his proposed changes in the short term, there are still some general ways his team can improve their offensive output.
“Like I said, in the short term it’s quite difficult to make that happen straight away but there are things like reacting in the transition, winning the ball back quickly and getting the ball forward as much as we can in a controlled manner and really just being attacking-based. That for me is the way how you do it,” said Hall.
The Reggae Boyz have also conceded 10 goals in their eight matches and Hall says limiting mistakes on the ball is a way to solve the Reggae Boyz defensive woes.
“We have players who can keep the ball and receive the ball in those deep-lying midfield areas. We’ve just got to make sure we create situations for us to be able to not lose the ball and focus on that. Really focus on keeping the ball,” Hall said.
Jamaica currently sits sixth in the standings in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying with seven points from their eight matches.
Each team has played eight games so far with Canada atop the standings with 16 points ahead of the USA with 15.
Mexico and Panama are third and fourth with 14 each while Costa Rica is fifth with nine.
The Reggae Boyz next take on Mexico on January 27, 2022.
The top three teams at the end of 14 matches will advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup while the team in fourth will advance to a playoff against a team from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
After a fairly even opening stanza, which saw Suriname slightly shade the scoring chances, it was Derby County midfielder Ravel Morrison who gave the Jamaicans the lead, with an inch-perfect free-kick, in the 16th minute.
Plucky Panama, however, mounted an almost immediate response and were back on level terms five minutes later. The speedy Yanic Wildschut, who was played in over the top, from just over the half-line, left a flat-footed Jamaica defense trailing in his wake before blasting the ball wide of Jamaica custodian Amal Knight 6-yards away from goal.
The Reggae Boyz refused to be kept quiet and would take the lead again in the 43rd minute. The influential Morrison would find himself involved again. This time the midfielder showed off a silky touch to bring down a lofted pass into the area and played the ball back to Junior Flemmings, who drifted across the area before firing a shot that wrong-footed Suriname goalkeeper Warner Hahn.
The Jamaicans were a much more dominant unit in the second half and capped that advantage off with another goal in the 70th minute. This time, Jamal Lowe was played through on goal by Shamar Nicholson, following Suriname’s loss of possession, and easily placed the ball wide of Hahn.
The win saw Jamaica move to the top of the three-team group A, after a 1-1 draw between the teams on Sunday. Mexico, the other team in the group, are yet to play a match.
Moore, who began his career with Leicester City, brings a wealth of experience and pedigree to Northampton Town. Having made 234 appearances during his tenure with Reading, Moore has demonstrated his defensive prowess and leadership on the field.
Northampton manager Jon Brady expressed his satisfaction with the acquisition, emphasizing Moore's positive integration with the squad during training. "He has already fitted in well with the group, and he brings with him a good amount of experience and an excellent pedigree," said Brady in a statement on the club website.
The seasoned defender faced a challenging period when he was stripped of the Reading captaincy in January 2022 after expressing his desire to leave the club. Subsequently, Moore joined Stoke City on loan in the same month, but his time on the field was cut short due to a serious injury sustained during training.
The defender received his first call-up to the Jamaica national team in March 2021, joining a group of English-born players embracing their Jamaican heritage. Since his debut in March 2021, Moore has earned nine international caps for the Reggae Boyz.
