The local contingent of the Jamaica national football team was forced to hastily depart the island on Tuesday, hastily scrapping a camp that was to be held at the UWI/JFF/Captain Horace Burrell Centre over the next few weeks.
According to a release, the issue was caused by the fact the Austrian Embassy, in Washington, would not accept digital applications. As such all players and officials who wished to secure the relevant documentation for the trip were required to be present at the embassy by 9:00 am on Wednesday, March 17.
Originally, the 14-man all locally-based players were to take part in the camp at the academy before departing for Austria this weekend to meet up with the rest of the squad, which consists of overseas-based players. The JFF expressed disappointment with the unexpected turn of events.
“The JFF was indeed disappointed that an environment that would have allowed our players to once again begin to practice their craft could not be fully utilised at this time,” the organisation said via its release.
“The Federation sincerely thanks the Minister of Culture, Gender Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, as well as officers at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management and the Ministry of Health and Wellness for their extraordinary support in establishing protocols and procedures for the camp. We remain very grateful for the work done and the cooperative spirit that has developed on both sides,” it added.
“These protocols will still be utilised going forward as the national team prepares for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup and the World Cup Qualifiers.”
The match against the USA is scheduled for the Stadion Wiener Neustadt, in Austria, next Thursday.
KC strengthen lead atop Group A; Mona, JC, Haile Selassie also secure wins
Kingston College now have five wins from as many games as action continued in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup on Wednesday.
KC, who initially opened their season with an 0-4 defeat to Hydel before that result was overturned to a 3-0 win after it was deemed that their opponents used an ineligible player, defeated Charlie Smith 1-0 to move to 15 points from their five outings, six points ahead of Calabar in second and nine ahead of Hydel in third. Charlie Smith also have six points in fourth.
Elsewhere in Group B, defending champions Jamaica College secured a 2-1 win over Kingston Technical to move to the top of the group with nine points from four games, two points ahead of Tivoli in second and three ahead of Kingston Technical in third.
Group C action saw Haile Selassie continue their winning ways, moving to 15 points from five games with a 1-0 win over Eltham. The other game in the group saw Dunoon Technical defeat Denham Town 3-2 for their first win of the season.
In Group E, Mona High hammered Edith Dalton 6-0 to move to five wins out of five.
Naparima and San Juan North win five on the trot in SSFL action in T&T
Naparima and San Juan North maintained their 100 per cent win records in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools Football League Premiership Division on Wednesday. However, Fatima College lost their perfect record after they were held to a goalless draw by St Benedict’s College.
Naparima maintained their exemplary goal-scoring form when they blanked Malick Secondary 3-0. Those three goals took their tally in five matches this season to an impressive 32 goals while conceding only two.
The win took them to 15 points and sees them leading on goal-difference over San Juan North, who edged Arima North Secondary 1-0.
Meanwhile, Fatima College lost their perfect record when they were held to a 0-0 draw, a result that sees them fall two points behind Naparima and San Juan North.
St Anthony’s College picked up three valuable points following their 10-1 drubbing of Chaguanas North Secondary. They now have nine points and are fourth in the table, one point ahead of fifth-placed Presentation College, who were held at a 1-1 draw with Speyside High School, who are sixth on seven points.
Elsewhere, Trinity College East, who are next to bottom in the league table played to a 2-2 draw with bottom-placed Pleasantville Secondary. The schools have two and one point, respectively.
St Mary’s College earned their second win of the season after outscoring East Mucurapo Secondary 3-2 while Bishop’s High School had their first win after edging Queens Royal College 1-0.
Celtic’s defensive injury crisis easing as Nat Phillips returns
Celtic’s injury problems in central defence are easing as Nat Phillips and Cameron Carter-Vickers step up their comebacks.
Phillips has missed two games after rolling his ankle on his debut against Dundee but the on-loan Liverpool defender could return in Saturday’s cinch Premiership meeting with Motherwell at Fir Park.
The centre-back’s return is a welcome boost for manager Brendan Rodgers as Gustaf Lagerbielke’s European suspension would otherwise leave Liam Scales as the only fit central defender for next Wednesday’s Champions League visit of Lazio.
Rodgers said: “Nat Phillips we are keeping an eye on, he has rejoined the group but we just have to make sure with his ankle. But that looks much better. Hopefully (he will be back) for the weekend.
“No-one else who has been out injured will be back.”
Carter-Vickers is also stepping up his return from a hamstring injury while fellow centre-backs Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki are further behind.
“Cam is coming back in to rejoin the training group but he is not going to be ready until after the international break, I would suspect,” Rodgers said.
The Celtic manager will make a decision over who replaces the suspended Joe Hart at Fir Park.
Scott Bain came off the bench and kept a clean sheet after Hart was sent off in the first half of Celtic’s 3-0 win at Livingston on Saturday but Benjamin Siegrist is another option.
Rodgers said: “We will look at it between Scott and Benji. Both of the guys work really hard every day so we will finalise the team on Friday.”
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