Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren says the recent two-match friendly series against Trinidad and Tobago wasn’t just about results but about identifying talent, assessing character, and gauging progress in the build-up towards their Gold Cup playoff and World Cup qualification campaign.
By those measures, McClaren believes the objective was met, as he expressed satisfaction with the performances and took heart from the attitude displayed by his squad, though they required a late own goal to salvage a 1-1 draw in the second game at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday.
The Boyz won their first encounter 1-0 in Montego Bay.
“As I said to the players at the end, pleasure to work with, attitude, spirit—they show that in training, they show that in the game. I look forward to seeing them again, not just playing for their clubs, but if we can organize more games or get together like this, I think it will benefit the national team, the Jamaica Premier League, and the players themselves going forward,” McClaren said.
With a short window to work with his squad, McClaren’s goal was clear—to identify at least four players who could potentially make the squad for the Gold Cup playoff against St Vincent and the Grenadines in March and possibly the World Cup qualifiers.
“Most definitely. As I said, I think we should do this more. If we can have the players together for two days, once a month, I think that would really benefit everybody. A lot of players made me think twice. But as I told them, I will continue to follow them. I want to see them get better,” McClaren explained, adding that his scouting mission proved fruitful as he saw the players he was looking for.
“I wanted three or four players to emerge from this squad, and this exercise has helped that process. We wait till March, and you might see them again,” he declared.
One of the areas that McClaren and his staff have been working to improve is Jamaica’s effectiveness in the final third.
“It’s something we need to work on even more, but I thought we got into good wide areas. We just have to keep improving and take our chances. So more games and more get-togethers will help with that. We gave the players a lot of information, a lot of detail, which is what international football is about,” he shared.
“This was a valuable experience. The players trained well—never late, attentive in meetings, cooperative, collaborative. I really enjoyed it; they’re a good group. I hope everyone takes the positives from this and we go again,” McClaren stated.
Though Jamaica trailed for most of Sunday’s match, the team’s determination and resilience in pushing for the equalizer left a strong impression on McClaren.
“That’s what we assess when the players come into camp—character. Can they handle the Jamaica shirt? It can be heavy. The energy and spirit of the team kept us going all the way. We never gave up, and that’s an important trait,” the Englishman pointed out.
“With five minutes left, I thought we had created enough chances to win. But then I reflected and realized we didn’t deserve to lose. The second-half intensity and tempo—that’s what a Jamaican team should be about,” McClaren emphasized.
That said, McClaren’s views the two-match series as a valuable step forward, both for the national team and the players vying for selection.
“We won the first game and got to see a lot of players in the second. Ten debuts in two games—we’ve given players an opportunity, and I hope they feel recognized. I want players who will improve the squad as we go forward, and this exercise will help with that,” McClaren ended.