Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren urged his players to embrace the opportunity and showcase their talent in the upcoming two-match friendly series against Trinidad and Tobago, as he pointed out that these games could shape their future in Jamaica’s squad for major international tournaments.

The Reggae Boyz will host the Soca Warriors in two crucial matches—first on Thursday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall, followed by a second encounter at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston three days later.

McClaren, in stressing the significance of the fixtures, said they not only form part of their preparation but are a proving ground for players who hope to cement a place in the squad for the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

“Obviously, individually, players have got to impress and do well. But I've said to them that to impress and to do well, they have to play as a team. Sometimes that’s difficult because of cohesion and different clubs, but we’ll try and pick a team that’s cohesive in certain areas. But it’s up to them,” McClaren said in a pre-game interview.

Since taking over the squad, McClaren has been focused on assessing new talent and expanding the depth of the team. He pointed to past camps that have unearthed key players like Richard King and Kaheim Dixon and hopes these friendlies will provide similar breakout performances.

“This isn’t a group of just local players. This is the Reggae Boyz. This is the senior national team. They’re representing the country. This is a huge game, not just for us, but for them and the supporters. So we’ve said to them, this is an opportunity," McClaren noted.

“So we’ll see over the next couple of days in training and in the two games that we’ve got. We chose [Jashaun] Anglin and Tyreek Magee very quickly, gave them an opportunity, and it’s for others to follow the same—to realize that this is a true opportunity to actually be part of the squad. Some of their rawness can be a strength,” he added.

The Montego Bay camp is a shift from recent training sessions held in Kingston, and McClaren has been encouraged by the energy within the squad. He noted that while preparations have gone well, there are still areas for improvement—both individually and collectively.

“At the moment, I’m very pleased with where we are. We analyzed the first six games, and when we break that down into halves, we’ve had 12 halves of football and lost only two—both to the U.S., both in the first half. But we won the second half against the U.S., so generally, it’s been good, but there’s still a lot of things to improve, and that’s why this group is together,” the Englishman shared.

Beyond individual performances, McClaren is eager to see strong fan support in Montego Bay, which he believes will be integral as the Boyz look to maintain their momentum.

“Yeah, that'll be great. It's a nice stadium. It's big. I like it—the way that it's laid out and set out. There's enough room for a lot of spectators. So I hope they fill the stands and support the boys. Ultimately, we want to win the game, but also, individually, players need to impress,” McClaren ended.