Related items

• Reggae Boyz prepare to name new coach: Former EPL boss Steve Bruce and ex-Jamaica ace Deon Burton in the mix for prestigious role

  Steve Bruce has been revealed as a leading contender to become the next Jamaica head coach. He is among a shortlist of four names being earmarked by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to lead the Boyz into the next World Cup finals.

   The 63-year-old former English Premier League manager was last in charge at West Bromwich Albion, but he was given the boot by the Championship club in October 2022.

   The ex-Manchester United defender has never managed at international level, but has been in charge at 11 different clubs in England and amassed over a thousand matches. His CV includes being head coach with Aston Villa and Newcastle.

   Jamaica have been without a coach since Icelander Heimir Hallgrímsson resigned last month following a poor Copa America 2024 campaign, and promptly took over the Republic of Ireland hotseat.

   With over 30 serious applications received by the JFF, which included ex-Manchester City players Ole Solsjaer (Norway international) and Dwight Yorke (Trinidad & Tobago), there has been a gradual process to narrow it down.

   JFF president Michael Ricketts, who is not part of the selection process, has publicly expressed that he personally prefers to have an England-based head coach as Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz prepare to tackle the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers. There were murmurs that former West Ham United boss David Moyes could be a surprise appointment, although that appears to have only been rumours.

   Whoever takes over the role will be expected to guide the Boyz to the next World Cup finals, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

   These three nations are Jamaica’s biggest rivals in the CONCACAF region. As they have been given automatic berths for football’s biggest competition, the Boyz are expected to breeze into the World Cup finals for only the second time in their history.

   The other names believed to be on JFF’s shortlist are Deon Burton, Miguel Coley and Jose Peseiro.

   British-born Burton is the U23 coach of West Bromwich Albion. The 47-year-old won the 1997 Jamaican Sportsman of the Year award after bagging four goals in five games during the Boyz’ successful 1998 World Cup qualifiers. He played in all four games at France ‘98, but failed to find the back of the net.

   Jamaican Coley, 41, has served as assistant manager and U23 head coach with the Boyz. He has recently been in the UAE with various clubs.

   The standout name being touted is former striker Peseiro. The 64-year-old Portuguese has managed at international level with Saudi Arabia (2009-11), Venezuela (2020-21) and Nigeria (2022-24).

   Peseiro was given the boot by Saudi Arabia, left Venezuela because he had not been paid for over a year and quit Nigeria in March following 22 successful months. He guided Nigeria to the 2023 African Cup of Nations final, where they lost 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast, and was awarded the Order of the Niger by president Bola Tinubu for his achievements.

   The JFF Technical Committee is anticipated to decide on one candidate this week, with an announcement expected as early as August 1 to reveal the new Jamaica head coach. The next game for the Boyz is the Nations League tie against Cuba at the National Stadium in Kingston.

• Grealish motivated by Euro 2024 heartbreak

  Jack Grealish said his omission from England's Euro 2024 squad was "the most difficult thing I've ever had to deal with".

  Grealish was left out by Gareth Southgate, despite having been a regular in England's set-up since 2021.

  The playmaker, who joined City from Aston Villa for £100million after helping England reach the final of Euro 2020, endured a stop-start campaign for Pep Guardiola's team in 2023-24.

  Grealish scored three goals and set up a further three in 36 appearances in all competitions for City last season, but injuries and a loss of form meant he often had to settle for a cameo role. 

  But after missing out on Euro 2024, the 28-year-old has additional motivation to get back to his best.

  "I'll be honest it was probably, football-wise, the most difficult thing I've ever had to deal with in my career," Grealish said ahead of City's pre-season clash with Barcelona.

  "I was absolutely heartbroken and then obviously when you're on your holidays, wherever I was, every time you turn on the phone or turn on the TV or whatever, you just see it. So it was hard to not to see it.

  "For myself now, moving forward, I have to just try to use that as motivation going into this season and try to have the same mentality as I had two years ago.

  "In my first season at City I don't think I performed as well as I could and in the second season I played in a lot of the games and that was down to the first season. I had wanted to come back stronger and I certainly did that, so hopefully I can do that again.

  "This is my chance to get my fitness, to have a two-week head start and try to be as fit as possible. And I'm playing with confidence. I feel like that's what I need and fingers crossed I can do that."

  In Guardiola, however, Grealish feels he has the ideal mentor.

  He added: "I always speak to him. I won't go into too much detail about what we speak about because that's between me and him.

  "He's been so good for me in the three years I've been here - there’s not too many people better to take advice from. Pep is a master in this game."

• Leiva: Liverpool can challenge for Premier League title

  Former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva believes the Reds have the quality to challenge for the Premier League next season.

  Liverpool were part of a three-horse race for top spot for the majority of last season, along with Manchester City and Arsenal.

  However, a run of poor results in April saw them drop out of contention, eventually finishing nine points behind Pep Guardiola's side in Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge.

  Arne Slot has stepped into the German's shoes, having been picked for a similar style of tactics to his predecessor, and questions have been asked whether Liverpool can pick up where they left off under a new manager.

  And Leiva, who played for the Reds for 10 years between 2007 and 2017, has backed them to do just that.

  "I think Liverpool can challenge against [Manchester] City, against Arsenal," Leiva told Stats Perform.

  "Last year, like I said, Liverpool missed out in the last four weeks of the season. Of course, it will be difficult.

  "Man City and Arsenal and other teams are getting stronger, and we know how difficult it is to beat Man City. But Liverpool showed last year the quality to challenge with a lot of young players coming through, and it was very positive.

  "I don't see why Liverpool could not challenge Man City this year for the Premier League. I think the team is very good, and of course, other players will arrive to help."

  Despite the optimism surrounding Liverpool's new manager, there are concerns over whether key players will still be at Anfield come the end of the season.

  Mohamed Salah is entering the final year of his contract and has attracted interest from a number of Saudi Pro League clubs.

   

  The Egyptian has scored 211 goals since joining the Reds in 2017, though his Premier League tally of 18 goals was his least prolific season for them, and Leiva thinks he may have a point to prove under the new manager.

  "Mo, what a player he has been for the club," Leiva said. "We know that he came under Jurgen, but I think Mo has got a point to prove as well now.

  "He will be a very important player, not only on the pitch, but off it as well. On the pitch, he's been amazing, and he's scored a lot of goals. He has been one of the best [players] in the history of the club.

  "But with a new manager coming in now, I think he will need the senior players to help the other guys to settle in, even the new manager to settle in. So, Mo will be really important as well off the pitch. And I'm sure that he has many, many good years ahead of him in the Liverpool shirt."

  Another Liverpool stalwart entering the final year of his contract is captain Virgil van Dijk, who has been a talismanic presence since joining from Southampton in 2018.

  Only four players have made more appearances than his 197 since making the move to Anfield, and Leiva is confident he will not be leaving any time soon.

  "I expect Virgil to stay. He's under contract," he added.

  "He's the captain of the team. He had a great Euro, and the same as Mo, he will be really important.

  "[Arne] is a Dutch manager, so he will play a big part in helping this new team, this new Liverpool team, going forward. Now he's on holiday, and hopefully, he will come back recharged and ready to go."

  Trent Alexander-Arnold rounds out the trio with their future up in the air going into the new season.

  The right-back, who started in the Liverpool academy in 2004 aged six, has been integral to Liverpool in recent seasons.

   

  He was involved in the most attacking sequences among Liverpool defenders in the league last season (151), and Leiva is adamant the club should make it a priority to keep the home-grown talent.

  "I've known Trent since he was 16 years old. He started when I was playing for the club, and at that young age we could see how good he was," Leiva said.

  "He's a Liverpool player born in Liverpool. He is what Liverpool means.

  "I think it's really important to keep your best players, and Trent is one of them. Like I said, he's a Scouser, and I'm sure that he'll be focusing on helping the team.

  "He's a vice-captain of the team. He's grown so much in the last few seasons, and like all the senior players, I think these players now will play a big part in the new team. Helping the young lads coming through, as well as the academy.

  "So, of course, with contract talks, you always have speculation, but I think you know it's really important for Trent to stay at the club because it's his home and I know how much it means to him to play for Liverpool."