As Jamaica's Reggae Boyz prepare to face Cuba in their opening League A match of the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League, newly appointed head coach Steve McClaren is brimming with optimism.

The former England manager has wasted no time setting his sights on long-term goals for the Reggae Boyz team, with a clear vision to elevate the country to new heights in international football.

For McClaren, the journey begins with a solid start in the Nations League, and he has been vocal about his expectations for the team to secure a win in his debut match as head coach. However, while results matter, McClaren is equally focused on developing a cohesive, competitive unit that can compete on the world stage.

Kick off for Friday's Group B encounter is 7:00pm at the National Stadium. 

A win for the Boyz would put them in a good position to secure one of two spots from the group to the quarterfinals, as they seek to better their third-place finish from the last edition of the tournament. 

"The first expectation is like every game, we plan to win and we expect to win. So that's the first message to them and then go out and win. That's basically it," McClaren stated confidently.

He continued: "It is a test, but it is more a focus on the performance. It won't be perfect; I know that over 90 minutes there will be ups and downs, good spells and bad spells, but I want to see just some of the things that we've worked on to know that the players are taking that on board and the team is developing in that, but also keeping the structure that they've had for the last two years and just help them develop from that. 

"Because I think if you want to compete, if you want to stay number one in the Caribbean, and you want to get in the top three of the Concacaf rankings, then you have to develop your game. We've worked with the players; we've talked with the players in terms of how we develop. So tomorrow is the first step and it's a big step, one in which we need to find a way to win but also show signs of the performance which we've worked on."

McClaren's emphasis on growth and development has resonated throughout the camp, where players have embraced his forward-thinking approach. The Englishman stressed that, while talent is crucial, the mindset and application of each player will also be integral under his tenure.

"We've introduced one or two small things—principles, non-negotiables—that we must have in a game, and it's not going to be easy. It's not going to happen straight away. We're going to have spells where maybe we try to build up, but we make mistakes, but we want the players to play; we want them to be able to deal with the ball and control the game in possession. So not just have a transition game, but to try and have some control, which is in possession, and also control the game out of possession. Once you're in good shape and maintain a good formation, you'll be hard to beat," McClaren noted.

"This is what I said to the squad, football is not about eleven players, it's about the starters and the finishers, and the finishers have a more important job than the starters because they have to finish the game. So subs are important. So in a situation where you're winning a game or you're losing a game, it's important that the squad, the players on the bench, also impact the game when they get a chance to, and that's also what I'm looking for. The sign of a good team is to stay in the game, finish the game, and score a winning goal, but also ensure we don't lose the game," the tactician reasoned.