Interim Head Coach of the “Reggae Boyz,” Paul Hall, says his selection policy in the short term will be to pick the best players available as he aims to get Jamaica into the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Jamaica is currently sixth in the eight-team standings with seven points from eight games, and which sees them trailing Panama, Mexico, the USA and Canada, teams that are currently in the positions to qualify for the world cup. Fourth-placed Panama and third-placed Mexico have 14 points, seven clear of Jamaica with six games remaining in the final round of qualifying.
The top three teams qualify for the World Cup while the fourth-placed team advances to the inter-confederation play-offs.
With that in mind, Hall says his priority will be to pick a group of players that will give them the best chance to win all their remaining matches.
“In the short term, we want to pick a squad of players that’s going to win us a game of football and that’s the policy. We’ve got to pick the best players who are going to win us games of football,” Hall said while speaking during his first media session since he was announced as the replacement for Theodore Whitmore, who was fired late last week.
Hall said the members of the might change from a personnel standpoint, but all players must exhibit similar characteristics.
“Now they might change from Mexico to Costa Rica to Panama. However, the squad must be committed. That’s one thing that I expect from each and every player. I would also expect that squad to have the resilience and the materials to be able to beat a Mexico, a Panama, a Costa Rica and a Canada,” said Hall.
Hall also outlined a long-term policy that emphasizes providing opportunities for local-based players.
“In the medium and long-term, we would look to try and get locally based players to get experience around the professionals that have come from England and America, get them to experience being around the older players,” he said.
Jamaica's World Cup qualifying campaign resumes on January against Mexico at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Sheikh Jassim bid still on table as Manchester United takeover tests patience
Sheikh Jassim’s fifth and final bid to buy Manchester United will remain on the table beyond Friday but the Qatari’s patience with the takeover process is wearing thin.
The Sheikh and his Nine Two Foundation, which is seeking to buy 100 per cent of the club, are understood to feel that by Friday United’s owners, the Glazer family, and the Raine banking group which is conducting the sale process will have had ample time to seek or request clarification and revision of the bid, and will therefore no longer engage with them on it beyond this date.
Some observers have interpreted the submission of two additional bids from Sheikh Jassim as an indication that the rival offer from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos is preferred by the Glazers.
However, sources close to the Qatari say he is simply keen to bring the matter to a swift conclusion with a crucial summer transfer window for United coming up.
The fifth and final bid was issued earlier this week, and Sheikh Jassim considers it an enormous premium on the current share price of the club, both now and at any stage of the club’s recent share price.
Ratcliffe is understood to have made an improved offer on April 28. It has been reported that his offer enables Avram and Joel Glazer to retain a 20 per cent stake in the club, something the Ineos camp has not confirmed.
The Glazers are reported to value the club at £6billion.
This is a crunch period on and off the field for United, who won the Carabao Cup, finished third in the Premier League and lost Saturday’s FA Cup final in Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge.
Co-owner Avram Glazer was at Wembley for Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City and ignored questions about the takeover as he left through the interview area.
Asked about the potential takeover and summer improvements, United boss Ten Hag said: “I think in this moment I don’t want to discuss that.
“It’s about finalising the season. We have to be quiet, analyse the season, go into the depth, then set the right conclusions and then take action.”
England to face Portugal in Milton Keynes ahead of Women’s World Cup
England will face Portugal on July 1 in their final home warm-up match before flying to Australia for the Women’s World Cup.
Sarina Wiegman’s side are due to leave for the tournament four days after the meeting with their fellow finalists in Milton Keynes, with the game to kick-off at 3:15pm and be broadcast live on ITV.
Their opening game of the competition, which is being hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand, is against Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July, before the team fly to Sydney to face Denmark then finish the group stage against China in Adelaide.
Wiegman finalised her squad for the World Cup, which England are looking to win for the first time following their Euro 2022 triumph last summer, in May with Arsenal’s Beth Mead a notable absence through injury.
Portugal are competing for the first time in the World Cup and are building on their first major tournament appearances at the last two editions of the European Championships.
Canada will be England’s final warm-up opponents in a behind-closed-doors friendly on July 14.
“I am really pleased to have a competitive game for our last home fixture,” said Wiegman. “We had two big games in April against Brazil and Australia where we learned so much.
“This will be another challenging match against a team that have performed well and are going to their first World Cup.
“Portugal will also want to show they can be a threat to teams in Australia, and they have very technical players with good ability. For us, it will be important to come together again as a team after the end of the club season and feel the support of our fans.
“We will do our best to give them a good performance. It will only be three weeks until our opening World Cup game so it will be such an important moment in our preparation.”
The Football Association and Women’s Super League clubs had been in a dispute over the release date for players called up to the squad.
The FIFA-sanctioned date by which clubs must make players available is July 10, just 10 days before the tournament kicks off.
It was reported last week that the FA had planned for the squad to meet up on June 19, though a formal agreement between parties took time to reach.
That date has now been confirmed by the FA, which said in a statement: “We are grateful for the mutual understanding of the clubs, as we have collectively worked towards a solution with the wellbeing of players at the heart.”
England beat Portugal the last time the sides met competitively, Toni Duggan and Nikita Parris scoring the goals in a 2-1 win for the Lionesses in the Euro 2017 group stage.
Ange Postecoglou promises excitement at Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou has promised “a team to get excited by” as he strives for success after being appointed as Tottenham head coach.
The Australian takes up the post having guided Celtic to the domestic treble north of the border, signing a four-year contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Postecoglou, 57, takes the reins after Antonio Conte’s dismissal in March and interim runs for both Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason.
Spurs finished eighth at the end of a dismal season, their worst Premier League position since 2008, and Postecoglou is ready to get started on turning those fortunes around.
“It’s great to finally get started as manager of this great football club,” he said in a video message posted on the club’s social media accounts.
“I’m really looking forward to our task ahead. I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to now set off on a new direction, play football and create an environment that embodies the values and traditions of this fantastic football club.
“Hopefully a team that you can all be proud of, and more importantly get excited by.
“I can assure you that right through pre-season we won’t leave any stone unturned, myself, the staff and the players, to make sure that when the league comes around you will be as excited as I am about the season ahead.
“So I really look forward to seeing everyone at the stadium, in particular at our first home game, and I look forward to the journey ahead.”
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