Mason Greenwood seems set to switch allegiance from England to play for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz under new manager Steve McClaren, according to reports.

It has been widely reported that Olympique Marseille winger has started the process after the English Football Association was approached by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to formally request a transfer of Greenwood’s international registration.

The 22-year-old former Manchester United starlet, who made his England debut in a UEFA Nations League game at 18 years old, has not featured for the Three Lions since, as he has endured international exile since being charged with attempted rape and assault, which he denied. The charges were later dropped.

As per FIFA rules, Greenwood can change allegiances as he was under 21 years old when he competed for England in 2020.

The JFF’s initial attempt to get Greenwood to switch his international allegiance was unsuccessful, as the player declined with hopes of reviving his career with England.

However, this latest breakthrough was said to be aided by the recent appointment of McClaren as Reggae Boyz Head coach, as the former Manchester United assistant has persuaded Greenwood, who, according to The Sun, is eligible to play for Jamaica through his father, Andrew, to make the move.

Greenwood, who played one season for Spanish La Liga club Getafe last season on loan from Manchester United, later moved to Marseille, where he scored twice and contributed two assists in a 5-1 win over Brest last weekend.

McClaren’s first game as Reggae Boyz Head coach will be a Concacaf Nations League fixture against Cuba on September 6, followed by an away contest against Honduras. However, Greenwood’s transfer may not come through in time for him to play.

If the words of former FIFA vice president Austin “Jack” Warner are anything to go by, then Trinidad and Tobago is basically grasping at straws where qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is concerned.

In fact, Warner, known for his blunt personality, is of the view that the Twin Island Republic will not make another appearance at the global showpiece anytime soon, as it lacks a proper football structure and, by extension, competence from a coaching perspective.

Even with the increased opportunity opened up by United States, Canada, and Mexico securing automatic berths as hosts, Warner believes this offers very little hope for the Soca Warriors chances. Three teams will qualify directly to join the hosts as Concacaf’s representatives at the World Cup, while another two will have a second chance at qualification through an inter-confederation playoff. 

Trinidad and Tobago’s lone FIFA World Cup appearance to date was in Germany in 2006.

“Let me tell you this, and who is vex well, vex. We will not see a World Cup final in football in our collective lifetime, not even for the one coming up (2026), and remember, I have told you so,” Warner told Andre Errol Baptiste on the ISports radio program last Friday.

“We have gotten more chances and more slots to qualify, but our chances will not be better but worse. First of all, we don’t have the talent at the top, and in terms of coaching, we don’t have that will to allow our football players to succeed. We don’t have the competition at the bottom. Ask the average Trinidad and Tobago footballer to name five footballers in the country. He can’t. The average Trini cannot, and something is wrong,” he added.

Former Soca Warriors Angus Eve (left), then assistant Derek King (centre), and goalkeeper coach Clayton Ince.

The recent sacking of Angus Eve and the hiring of his assistant Derek King on an interim basis, Warner said, doesn't help the situation.

“I know Derek King very well; he used to coach my club called Joe Public. I know him very well, but Derek King is out of his league. Derek King does not understand the nuances of coaching at the World Cup level, and that is the difference I am talking about. Derek King is not in Leo Beenhakker’s class, so to speak, and England got rid of Gareth Southgate, so what are we doing in terms of this?” Warner questioned. 

Though it is argued that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) lacks the adequate finances to compensate a high-calibre coach, Warner, a former Minister of National Security, alluded to the possibility of the current government shifting funds around to provide more support for sports.

“If you get the money to pay a top-class coach, you will spend less money in the judiciary and less money in national security. The money that you will save from national security, you can pump back into sports. It follows that you have to prioritise and see what is important to you, and if sport is the vehicle for national unity and development and for people’s pride, put the money where it is,” Warner argued.

“I recall where sportsmen and sportswomen had to spend their own money attending to injuries. It does not help until we get serious about sports. Nothing from nothing will leave nothing,” he noted. 

While taking a swipe at corporate companies in Trinidad and Tobago that refuse to render assistance until after the fact, Warner used the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) hiring of Englishman Steve McClaren to drive home his point about national pride.

“They will not get corporate support. They (corporate TT) only come at the end. They come at the end, not at the beginning, where they are badly needed,” Warner stated.

He continued: “There is no local coach that can take Trinidad and Tobago to the World Cup at this time, and I mean that sincerely, and that is not a criticism. That is a realistic statement; we don’t have it; we just don’t have it.

“Jamaica is looking for a top-class coach; they have never considered Dwight Yorke. Look where Jamaica has gone. They don’t have the energy and oil we have, but they have the pride. We don’t have that, and that is the difference.” 

On another note, the former Concacaf boss expressed optimism that   his legal battles regarding a 2015 indictment for corruption, will be behind him soon.

“The matter will be thrown out, but it takes time in Trinidad and Tobago. All the colleagues that have been arrested and imprisoned in the United States have since appealed based on the Supreme Court statement and judgment (that prosecutors in the US overreached their boundaries when they applied laws of the United States to groups of people, many of whom are foreign nationals).

“I am now waiting to see what will come out of these appeals, and I will take it from there, but I don’t want to say too much on that at this stage, except to say, I am very optimistic,” Warner ended.

While expressing his excitement as he prepares to lead the country into Concacaf Nations League battle, recently appointed Reggae Boyz Head coach Steve McClaren also warned against complacency all-round, mindful that the main objective is qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Englishman is under no illusions that the challenge ahead will be easy but remains confident in the Reggae Boyz ability to perform at the highest level. The Boyz will bow into Nations League action on September 6 against Cuba at the National Stadium before visiting Honduras on September 10.

They will then visit Nicaragua on October 10, followed by a return-leg fixture against Honduras on October 14.

“I’m excited; I’ve been excited from day one. The biggest thing is to get started. I’ve called a few players and watched a few games in getting ready for Cuba on September 6. The Reggae Boyz have  great potential and I’m very proud to be a part of this journey, as it’s a privilege for anybody to coach a national team because you are representing a country,” McClaren said during an interview with Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) media.

McLaren, who boasts a wealth of experience coaching in and around Europe, including a stint as Manchester United’s assistant coach, underscored that the Nations League will serve as a crucial stepping stone in the team's preparation for World Cup qualification, offering them a platform to build momentum and fine-tune their strategies.

With the powerhouses Mexico, the United States, and Canada already qualifying for the World Cup as hosts, McLaren knows they can take nothing for granted, as every other team across the region will fancy their chances of booking a spot at the global showpiece.

“Every team in the Caribbean now will be thinking they have a chance. In football, there’s never an easy game; complacency is the biggest killer of all,” McLaren noted.

“Therefore, we can’t be complacent in the Nations League or the qualifiers for the World Cup. We must be committed, we must want to be here, and we must all be aligned to the goal of World Cup 2026, from the president [Michael Ricketts] all the way down,” the former England manager added.

That said, the 63-year-old welcomed the camaraderie among the current crop of players, which he believes will make his job that much easier, as his aim was always to ensure there was such a foundation.

“They look like they have great togetherness. I have spoken to players and staff, and everybody loves coming to join up for Jamaica. You have got to enjoy what you do, and that’s a great advantage. All I want to do is carry on with the good work that has gone on,” McLaren declared.

A new chapter for Jamaica’s football was confirmed on Thursday as new Reggae Boyz Head Coach, Stephen McClaren, was officially introduced at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters in Kingston.

McClaren was announced as the new Head Coach of the Jamaica Men’s Senior National team last week, replacing former head man Heimir Hallgrimsson, who has since taken up the position of Head Coach of Ireland.

The 63-year-old, who has 35 years of managerial experience with clubs like Middlesbrough, FC Twente with whom he won the Dutch Eredivisie in 2009-2010, Newcastle United and Manchester United who he left to take up this job.

The Fulford-born McClaren also has experience at the international level, serving in the roles of coach and assistant manager for England from 2000-2007.

He has signed on as Head Coach for Jamaica for the next 18 months, with his main objective being to lead the Caribbean Island nation to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted jointly by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Jamaica’s only previous trip to a World Cup was back in 1998.

“The moment I got on the plane to come over yesterday, through the airport, at the hotel and coming to meet the staff this morning, I’ve had a real warm welcome and a really good feeling about coming here and taking this job with the vision of the World Cup in 2026,” McClaren said at Thursday’s press conference.

McClaren first became aware of Jamaica during his stint as a technical expert for FIFA analyzing the FIFA ecosystem.

“I always knew that this country had unbelievable potential and talent because I was technical expert for FIFA for two years working on the ecosystem which really analyzed every country in the world. We analyzed 210 countries. I analyzed about 20 of which Jamaica was one of them,” he said.

“After doing the analysis and the report three years ago, Jamaica has always been in the back of my mind because it was the one country in which the potential and talent is here and there is such a lot to do. What I’ve seen over the last two years is unbelievable development. It’s my job now to take the baton and carry that on,” McClaren added.

One of the main questions posed to McClaren during Thursday’s proceeding was the fact that he left a club like Manchester United to come and coach Jamaica, a third world country.

McClaren insists that resources are not the main drivers to success of national teams.

“It’s not about resources. It’s about people, it’s about behaviors and it’s about standards. They are the three main things that will be targeted. We might not have the greatest resources but it’s the people, commitment, standards and behaviours that will make the difference that we are all here to work towards,” he said.

President of the JFF, Michael Ricketts, is excited for the future of the National Team under McClaren’s leadership.

“When you think of Mr. McClaren’s achievements as a coach, it gives us reason to feel extremely optimistic. The big picture here is the 2026 World Cup and coach will be charged with getting us there,” he said.

Chairman of the JFF Technical Committee, Rudolph Speid, commented about the process of hiring McClaren.

“We got people from all over the world but at the end of the day it was always going to be one coach. He literally ticked all the boxes,” he said.

“It was a no-brainer to choose him,” he added.

McClaren’s first assignment will be a CONCACAF Nations League clash with Cuba on September 6.

England were beaten 3-2 by Croatia at Wembley on this day in 2007 to end their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 and seal the fate of manager Steve McClaren.

Their failure to qualify for the Euros meant the writing was on the wall for McClaren, who was dismissed as boss a day later after 18 months in charge.

McClaren had watched the dismal defeat unfold in the pouring rain at Wembley from under an umbrella and was dubbed the “wally with a brolly”.

England only needed a draw to book their place at the finals in Austria and Switzerland but found themselves two goals down at the break, Scott Carson letting Niko Kranjcar’s 25-yard effort slip through his grasp for the first before former Arsenal striker Eduardo made it two.

David Beckham came off the bench for his 99th cap and inspired an England comeback as he set up Peter Crouch for a superb equaliser shortly after Frank Lampard had converted a 56th-minute penalty to put England on course for qualification.

But the fightback proved in vain as Croatia substitute Mladen Petric beat Carson from 20 yards 13 minutes from time to end England’s hopes.

After the match McClaren declared he would not be stepping down, but the Football Association took the decision out of his hands by sacking him after just 18 games, making him the shortest-serving permanent England boss in history at the time.

McClaren’s reign heralded just nine wins and ended with the team conceding three goals on home soil for the first time in 35 years.

“I feel I have let the fans down and the country down,” said McClaren.

“I knew that if we didn’t qualify that would put the board in a difficult position.

“I can understand the decision, the reaction and the criticism. It hurts and disappoints me, but that is football and it will make me stronger in the future.”

England turned next to Fabio Capello, while McClaren rebuilt his reputation by leading Dutch side FC Twente to the Eredivisie title in 2010 and had further spells at Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Derby, Newcastle and QPR and is now on the coaching staff at Manchester United.

Middlesbrough announced they had sacked Gareth Southgate as manager on this day in 2009.

Southgate was appointed as Steve McClaren’s successor just weeks after captaining Boro in their UEFA Cup final defeat to Sevilla in 2006, his final match as a player.

The former England defender kept the club in the Premier League with 12th and 13th-placed finishes but Boro slipped into the second tier in 2009.

Southgate’s dismissal came just hours after the Teessiders ended a run of three successive home defeats with a 2-0 victory against Derby, which left them one point off the top of the Championship table.

In a statement released on the club website, chairman Steve Gibson said: “This has been the most difficult decision I have had to make in all the time I have been in football.

“Gareth has given Middlesbrough magnificent service as a skipper and, in very difficult circumstances, as manager.

“I appointed Gareth in a situation that was greatly unfavourable to him. He is a good man and has all the qualities and integrity that we wanted in a manager. However, the time is right for change and that change has had to be made.

“Gareth will always be welcome at our football club. English football needs people of his stature and we feel certain that this experience will serve him well.

“Gareth deserves another opportunity once he has had the chance to rest and refresh himself.”

Southgate then moved to the England set-up, managing the Under-21s before taking charge of the senior team in 2016.

He led England to a fourth-placed finish in the 2018 World Cup and reached the final of Euro 2020 where they were beaten by Italy in a penalty shootout at Wembley.

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has saluted Erik ten Hag's personal touch and revealed how the new management team have lifted flagging morale.

United posted four successive Premier League wins before last week's trip to rivals Manchester City, where hat-tricks from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden condemned them to a comprehensive 6-3 defeat.

However, Ten Hag's side bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday, boosting their hopes of progressing from Group E.

McTominay came off the bench during United's trip to Cyprus but has started six of seven league games under Ten Hag despite the arrivals of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

Speaking to United's website, the Scotland international made a favourable comparison between Ten Hag and his predecessors, saying of the Dutch boss: "On tour [in pre-season] he asked me about my family and how they were and how they're getting on.

"That was a real good touch because I felt like I could then trust him, and want to play for him and be in a team with him, where he's pushing me.

"I obviously want to be making sure I'm doing my best for him because he's got a real understanding about my personal life as well, which is massive in terms of a player. I've never really, properly had that before.

"[I've had] other bits from other coaches, but I feel like he's really, really, good in that aspect."

With United failing to win a major trophy since Jose Mourinho's team captured the 2016-17 Europa League, McTominay felt sweeping changes were required at Old Trafford, and he highlighted the role of Ten Hag's backroom team in implementing them.

"There's a lot of change, obviously," he said. "I think it's clear to notice that on the pitch, in terms of the way we set up and the different ideas the manager has got."

He pointed to the influence of assistant boss Mitchell van der Gaag and technical director Darren Fletcher, and also highlighted the role of former England boss Steve McClaren, a notable recruit to Ten Hag's coaching staff.

"Steve McClaren is literally one of the best guys you can have in football because he keeps everybody alive, he keeps everyone together and that is so good for players, in boosting their confidence," McTominay said.

"I feel like some players needed that at the end of last season. They needed lifting and that energy bringing into the group, and they've most definitely done that."

United travel to Everton for their next Premier League outing on Sunday, looking to improve on their dismal record in recent away games.

The Red Devils have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League away matches, and scored as many goals in last week's defeat to City as they had in their previous eight road trips.