While Reggae Girlz head coach Hubert Busby would prefer to have all his stars available for Jamaica’s high-profile friendly international against England, he views the absence of key players, including prolific striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw, as an opportunity to deepen the team’s pool ahead of the crucial World Cup qualifiers in October.
Busby, who revealed a squad noticeably lacking in experience for the historic clash at the King Power Stadium in Leicester on June 29, says the game presents both a challenge and a valuable contingency-building moment. Alongside Shaw, the list of absentees includes Drew Spence, Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Deneisha Blackwood, Jody Brown, Konya Plummer, and Trudi Carter, among others.
Their omissions, most due to long club seasons or recovery from injury, leave a gap in leadership and firepower. But Busby is not deterred. Instead, he sees it as a necessary phase in the programme’s growth.
"It is frustrating not to have a lot of our experienced players, but those players are coming off very long seasons, and their clubs have stated that they need that mandatory break. So we have to pick a squad based on the players that are available. But yeah, we don't want to be missing those players, but at the same time, we're taking a lot of information and a lot of learnings and carrying it forward for sure," Busby told reporters during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
Reggae Girlz in Peru.
"So it also presents opportunities for players to come up, and so we have to extract the positives from the situation. Let’s say we’re in the same situation come October and still don’t have access to everyone. At least now we’ve blooded a younger group and created real competition across positions. Yes, they're going to sometimes make mistakes, but they're growing every time they come in," he added.
Among the players earning a call-up is Jade Mitchell, the only true newcomer to the senior ranks.
"Jade has come through the Under-20 programme and done really well. We want to try to provide opportunities and the experience for those young players to come through. So we're really looking forward to having her in the squad; she's an exciting prospect that I think will do well for us in the future," Busby stated.
Busby confirmed that Manchester City forward Shaw, who has not featured since the two-match series against South Africa late last year, is still in recovery after a long-term injury and will not be risked prematurely. He also expressed concern about the pace of the passport and documentation process affecting players like Taylor Hinds, whose full eligibility is still pending.
Kalyssa Van Zanten in action against Mexico.
"We're still waiting for that final documentation that needs to come in to allow her to play in Type A friendlies, which is what we're waiting on. It's frustrating because obviously you want the players to be able to be embedded in the squad; we’ve done our part, sent support letters, and followed up, and I know those who are able will do their best to work with PICA to make sure we get all those documents in order prior to October," Busby shared.
Asked about the approach to facing powerhouse England, a team ranked at number five in the world, Busby insisted that the focus is on development and experience rather than the result. The 40th-ranked Girlz, who defeated South Africa 3-0 and 3-2 and Peru 2-0 and 3-2, have lost 3-0 and 4-0 to Mexico and 4-0 to the United States. Prior to those games, they lost 3-0 away to France and 4-0 twice away to Brazil.
"Look, we’ve had the toughest schedule in Concacaf within the last calendar year against some teams ranked within the top 10 in the world. But we haven't shied away from people because these games offer a lot of our younger players the opportunity to experience the high-pressure environments of playing the top teams in the world, which I feel is only going to put them in good stead," Busby said.
Reggae Girl Solai Washington challenges Kerry Abello of the United States for possession.
"No one wants to lose football matches, but I think when we're able to take away a lot of positives from it, in terms of increasing the pool and giving a lot of younger players a great opportunity leading up to the World Cup, it again augurs well for us. So we're looking forward to this England match, and I know the players are looking forward to the opportunity for sure," the tactician ended.
Reggae Girlz Squad: Liya Brook, Serena Mensah, Aliyah Morgan, Allyson Swaby, Naya Cardoza, Chantelle Swaby, Amelia Van Zanten, Nyema Ingleton, Tiffany Cameron, Atlanta Primus, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Vyan Sampson, Jade Mitchell, Jade Bailey, Kayla McKenna, Kalyssa Van Zanten, Kameron Simmonds, Reanna Blades, Natasha Thomas, Ricshya Walker