Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts has heaped praised on Reggae Boyz Coach Theodore Whitmore, whose team defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 on Tuesday rebounding from their 3-0 loss to the same opponents on Saturday, November 14.
It was Whitmore’s 100th game in charge of the national team and Tuesday’s impressive win means that the former Jamaica midfielder now boasts a record 52 wins, 16 draws, and 32 losses. As a player, Whitmore also represented Jamaica on more than 100 occasions, making yesterday’s game a historic landmark in the head coach’s career.
“This game was special for us,” Ricketts said in a congratulatory message to the head coach.
“Coach Whitmore has been with the team since 2007 in different capacities and has managed to rack up a great record in a very competitive region. I want to extend my personal congratulations and that of the Federation to him and hope that he will be around for at least another 100 games.
“I want to assure the coach that he will be given all the support he needs as he tries to get us back to a World Cup Final. Congrats coach!”
President Ricketts also congratulated the team and the rest of the technical staff for a truly Jamaican effort in ensuring that this milestone was special for a legend of Jamaica's football.
As Jamaica commemorates the week in which the country qualified for its first World Cup, 23 years ago, President Ricketts used the opportunity to also congratulate Khadija Shaw for her spectacular performances in the French Women’s League where she was awarded Player of the Month of October and Reggae Boyz captain Andre Blake, who was selected as the best goalkeeper in the MLS for a second time.
"These accomplishments amongst others achieved in recent years is a testimony to the progress made and to the enormous potential of Jamaica's football and our players for the future," he said.