FC Cincinnati defender DeAndre Yedlin is hoping his team-mates can rediscover their competitive edge as they travel to the Red Bull Arena to face New York Red Bulls this weekend.
The Orange and Blue were forced to relinquish top spot in the Eastern Conference table as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Chicago Fire courtesy of Brian Gutierrez’s second half winner.
Cincinnati are now two points behind Inter Miami, who overcame their 6-1 defeat to Pat Noonan’s side last week with a convincing triumph over Toronto FC in midweek.
With Columbus Crew breathing down their necks and going to within five points of them with two games in hand, Yedlin insisted that his squad must rally together to rekindle that winning formula.
"We expect to win every game. It doesn't matter who we have on the field," Yedlin said.
"Since I've been at this club, I've noticed that the foundation of the club is hard work, is competing, is effort and then the little things sprinkled on top of that − the stuff that 'Lucho' can do, pulling stuff out of the hat.
“For whatever reason, the last few games it feels like that's a little off. There's nobody from the outside that can fix that. It's on us. It's on us to look deep within the team and find that competitiveness again."
For the Red Bulls, they extended their unbeaten run in the MLS to seven matches with their draw against CF Montreal last time out.
Sandro Schwarz’s side have drawn six of those games, however, and find themselves losing touch to the sides above them in the division.
The Red Bulls are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference, 10 points behind this weekend’s opponents with the possibility of dropping out of the top four should they fail to find a win on home soil.
Schwarz bemoaned his side’s lack of clinical nature in the final third, admitting the draw with Montreal left a bad feeling among his squad heading into their next encounter.
"It was a good game," Schwarz said. "But at the end, it's 2-2, and it's two less than if we play like the first 60, 65 minutes.
“Then you want to win. Then you want to go home with three points and that's it. And today, it's a bad feeling for us."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
NYRB – Wikelman Carmona
Having registered just two goal contributions in his first 10 MLS games this season, Wikelman Carmona now has two goals and an assist in his last six league outings.
Carmona scored the Red Bulls’ opener against Montreal last time out, and has lost just one of his four previous encounters with Cincinnati (W2, D1).
FC Cincinnati – Yuya Kubo
In the absence of talisman Luciano Acosta, Yuya Kubo will take on the responsibility of providing an attacking threat for Cincinnati in the final third.
Kubo has scored nine goals in 22 appearances for Noonan’s side this season, scoring in the reverse fixture between the two sides. However, the 30-year-old has won just one of his previous eight meetings with the Red Bulls (D3, L4).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Cincinnati will be hopeful of returning to winning ways having lost back-to-back home games but have found comfort playing away from home.
Noonan’s side have won their last seven games away from the TQL Stadium, having taken just six points from their last five home fixtures.
The Red Bulls have won two of their last five encounters against Cincinnati (D1, L2), hoping to equal their last unbeaten streak which was eight matches between September – October 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
NYRB – 38.6%
Draw – 26.5%
FC Cincinnati – 34.9%
Wilfried Nancy has insisted that his full focus remains with Columbus Crew amid links to the vacant United States managerial position ahead of their meeting with Atlanta United this weekend.
The Crew extended their unbeaten run to six matches in the MLS following their 1-1 draw with Charlotte FC in midweek as they aim to keep pace with the top two in the Eastern Conference.
Nancy’s side sit third in the standings, five points behind FC Cincinnati following their defeat to Chicago Fire last time out, with Inter Miami now at the summit of the table.
Despite their recent form, Nancy is hungry for more success with Columbus, going on to rubbish the rumours linking him with a move to the international stage following Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal last week.
"I don't talk about rumours, simple as that,” Nancy said.
“Like I said, I am limitless. I want to be limitless, so the idea is to push myself, to challenge myself, but at the moment I'm here. I'm happy here. We'll see in the future."
“I’m really happy because the task that we had was very difficult, knowing the context, knowing the situations.
"But my players found a way to be ourselves and to play the way we wanted to play and to play really good sequences, but also to be disgusting to play against."
Meanwhile, Atlanta halted their three-game pointless run in the league with a draw against New York City FC, despite squandering their two-goal advantage in the second half.
The Five Stripes sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference table and are among a cluster of teams tightly packed at the wrong end of the division.
Interim head coach Rob Valentino is looking for a much-improved performance from his players, picking out his side’s individual errors that have cost them in recent weeks.
"We were under some pressure, and we tried to make adjustments at half-time about being better and just more brave," said Valentino.
"There were individual errors. So, it is about eliminating those moments."
"We were braver, more direct and playing in there. The goal came right away. The big thing is that we have to find out why we dropped off."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atlanta United – Daniel Rios
While the Five Stripes may have forgotten how to win in the MLS, Daniel Rios has had no such trouble in finding the back of the net, scoring his third goal in his last four matches.
Rios’ strike against NYCFC was clocked at just 21 seconds, the fastest goal in Atlanta’s history, and they will be hoping for another quick start at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez
Cucho Hernandez continues to be the attacking spark for the Crew, with his strike against Charlotte FC his 13th of the season, scoring in each of his last three appearances.
Hernandez's goals saw him become the first player in the club's history to record 60 goal contributions over a three-year span, notching 38 goals and 22 assists in that time.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN
Columbus come into the contest as the hot favourites following their impressive recent run, with their draw against Charlotte meaning they are undefeated in their last six games in the MLS. Their last longer unbeaten streak was from 13th November 2023 to 16th March 2024, a run of eight games.
Hernandez's strike for the Crew was also the 12th consecutive time they have found the back of the net, scoring 34 times during that run.
Atlanta have failed to win in their last two games against Columbus Crew, but their last triumph against them came back in November 2023, last losing at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the Crew in May 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Atlanta United – 23.7%
Draw – 22.6%
Columbus Crew – 53.7%
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz have fallen six places in the latest FIFA global rankings, following a dismal performance in the 2024 Copa America. The recent rankings, released on Wednesday, also saw drops for other CONCACAF teams, with the USA and Mexico slipping down the order.
The Reggae Boyz, now ranked 59th globally after slipping six places, faced a string of defeats in the tournament, losing 1-0 to Mexico, 3-0 to Venezuela, and 3-1 to Mexico, finishing at the bottom of Group B. This poor showing prompted immediate repercussions, with Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson resigning post-tournament. Hallgrímsson has since accepted a new role as the head coach of the Republic of Ireland.
The Jamaica Football Federation are currently in an advanced stage of hiring a new head coach, who is expected to reverse the team's flagging fortunes.
Mexico, now ranked 17th, experienced a downturn as well, falling two places in the rankings after their struggles. They were defeated 1-0 by Venezuela and held to a goalless draw by Ecuador. The USA, previously the highest-ranked CONCACAF team, slipped five places to 16th. Their Copa America campaign started promisingly with a 2-0 victory over Bolivia, but subsequent losses to Panama (2-1) and Uruguay (1-0) saw them finish third in Group C, leading to the dismissal of Head Coach Gregg Berhalter.
In contrast, Canada saw a significant boost, climbing eight places to 40th after an impressive run that saw them finish fourth in the Copa America. Coached by Jesse Marsch, Canada's journey in the tournament included a second-place finish in Group A, with a win, a loss, and a draw. They advanced to the knockout stages and eliminated Venezuela 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation. Although they lost 2-0 to Argentina in the semi-finals and succumbed to Uruguay in the third-place playoff, their performance was enough to propel them up the rankings
Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has confirmed midfielder Adrien Rabiot has left the club ahead of the 2024-25 Serie A season.
Rabiot, who featured for France in their semi-final run at Euro 2024, made 212 appearances for Juventus since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
The 29-year-old featured in 35 matches for the Old Lady under Massimiliano Allegri last season, helping them to a 15th Coppa Italia title.
Rabiot became the fifth Frenchman to reach 200 appearances for Juventus, leaving him third in the list of the club's all-time French appearance makers alongside Zinedine Zidane.
Only Michel Platini (224) and David Trezeguet (320) have completed more outings for the 36-time Serie A champions.
"I want to thank Adrien Rabiot and wish him well for the future," Giuntoli said during Thiago Motta's first press conference as the new Juventus head coach.
Motta was announced as Juventus' new head coach last month after leading Bologna to a club record 68 points in Serie A, securing Champions League qualification for the first time in the process.
The 41-year-old, who addressed the media for the first time since being appointed, believes success is forthcoming for Juventus, who have failed to win a league title since the 2019-20 season.
"I was convinced that Juventus has a great environment and I'm happy to have the best facilities at my disposal," Motta said.
"Then we hope to play as many games as possible. The goal is always to win and I know I have a big responsibility.
"I would never change my coaching position here for anyone else.
"The past was a pleasure, but we don't have to think about it any more. Now I am focused on what lies ahead, with the desire to prove that we are capable of challenging anyone.
"We don't want alibis linked to our many commitments, but we will have a positive approach to the season and the many games we will play.
"The next gen will give us a big hand. There will be 23-24 starters in the first team, there will be healthy competition for starting places."
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Dennis Chung welcomed the addition of two new sponsors to their coffers, which he says reaffirms the Michael Ricketts-led administration’s efforts to raise the profile of the country’s governing football body.
Though the contributions of five laptops and two tents from Smart Mobile Solutions (SMS) and Awnings, Windows, Doors, and Shower Enclosurers (AWDS) by Bernie Limited, may not seem like much, Chung pointed out that they should not be understated, as every bit of sponsorship is very much valued by the JFF.
In fact, he revealed that the laptops donated by SMS are said to be worth $800,000, while AWDS’ two tents, also boast significant value.
“A lot of times what we talk about is the large sponsorships that come in right, but we certainly at the JFF want to assure everyone that we treasure every single contribution that comes in here because, as I said, they say every mickle, make a muckle. People who don't organize a game don't understand how important, for example, a tent is. The tents are extremely important to ensure that we have proper security and coverage just in case the weather changes,” Chung said during a press conference on Wednesday.
“So we're very appreciative of this, Mr. [Mark Anthony] Bernard; it definitely will enhance our capabilities and ensure that we don't have to rent everything that we want, and that's what helps us from a cash flow perspective. Certainly, Mr. [Dane] Spencer and his team were really appreciative of this; it couldn't have come at a better time, a time that we were actually looking at how we could acquire some laptops, and definitely they've come in at the right time. So we really appreciate the support,” he added.
These sponsorships come on the heels of a recent $200 million deal between the JFF and Wray & Nephew, as well as another partnership with marketing company 876Stream.
For President Michael Ricketts, it represents a positive step in the right direction that the JFF is finding favour with both large and small corporate companies.
“One-one cocoa full basket, and we’re just very appreciative of small companies coming on and making significant contributions. We got five computers and we got tents, which are something we really do need, and if every small company could come on and make a small contribution, then it would touch the lives of some boy or girl in some disenfranchised community,” Ricketts noted.
SMS Managing Director Dane Spencer explained that their partnership with the JFF is one that he hopes will have a far-reaching impact.
“This collaboration where we are providing technology is actually very important because now we can showcase not just that we contribute and give back in this way, but naturally we're also trying to show that we can foster sustainable partnerships and something that will actually bring some value to the Jamaican populace.
“Because football, for us, is a little bit more than just a sport or a game. We know that it is something that actually helps with social development and the upliftment of our youth. So, the laptops that we're donating are equipped with the latest technology and essential tools for the JFF administration, and we think that they will help facilitate better communication for the federation and its day-to-day operations,” Spencer shared.
Meanwhile, AWDS Chief Executive Officer Mark Anthony Bernard expressed optimism that his partnership with the JFF will also blossom into something bigger in the near future.
“We at AWDS would like to thank the JFF family for this opportunity to be a part of contributing to the national football program. We donated two tents, which is just a small contribution, but it's a start in the right direction. Hopefully, in the future, we can build on that and eventually become a part of this growing JFF family, where we'll be more present and be able to offer more tangible donations,” Bernard declared.
Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has confirmed midfielder Adrien Rabiot has left the club ahead of the 2024-25 Serie A season.
Rabiot, who featured for France in their semi-final run at Euro 2024, made 212 appearances for Juventus since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
The 29-year-old featured in 35 matches for the Old Lady under Massimiliano Allegri last season, helping them to a 15th Coppa Italia title.
Rabiot became the fifth Frenchman to reach 200 appearances for Juventus, leaving him third in the list of the club's all-time French appearance makers alongside Zinedine Zidane.
Only Michel Platini (224) and David Trezeguet (320) have completed more outings for the 36-time Serie A champions.
"I want to thank Adrien Rabiot and wish him well for the future," Giuntoli said during Thiago Motta's first press conference as the new Juventus head coach.
Motta was announced as Juventus' new head coach last month after leading Bologna to a club record 68 points in Serie A, securing Champions League qualification for the first time in the process.
The 41-year-old, who addressed the media for the first time since being appointed, believes success is forthcoming for Juventus, who have failed to win a league title since the 2019-20 season.
"I was convinced that Juventus has a great environment and I'm happy to have the best facilities at my disposal," Motta said.
"Then we hope to play as many games as possible. The goal is always to win and I know I have a big responsibility.
"I would never change my coaching position here for anyone else.
"The past was a pleasure, but we don't have to think about it any more. Now I am focused on what lies ahead, with the desire to prove that we are capable of challenging anyone.
"We don't want alibis linked to our many commitments, but we will have a positive approach to the season and the many games we will play.
"The next gen will give us a big hand. There will be 23-24 starters in the first team, there will be healthy competition for starting places."
Nottingham Forest have confirmed the arrival of Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic from Fiorentina in a deal worth a reported £12million.
Milenkovic, who featured in all three of Serbia's fixtures at Euro 2024, has signed a five-year deal with Nuno Espirito Santo's side ahead of the new Premier League season.
The 26-year-old ends a seven-year stay with the Italian side having made 264 appearances in that time, scoring 17 goals in all competitions.
Since his senior debut for Serbia in 2018, Milenkovic has represented his country on 57 occasions, featuring in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.
Milenkovic will bring an aerial threat to the City Ground, having won 112 of 141 contested duels in the air, but also has the ability to play out from the back.
He ranked only behind Lucas Martínez Quarta (1358) and Arthur (1350) for the most successful passes for Fiorentina in Serie A last season (1338).
Chief football officer Ross Wilson said of Milenkovic: "He is a key part of our squad planning this summer and I know how enthusiastic he has been to join the club.
"We have long admired his performances with the Serbia national team and in Serie A and European competitions for Fiorentina.
"We are delighted he will bring his experience and qualities to Nottingham Forest."
Milenkovic becomes Forest's fifth signing of the transfer window following the arrivals of Carlos Miguel, Elliot Anderson, Eric da Silva Moreira and Marko Stamenic.
Forest started their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 win over Chesterfield last week and will play Championship side Sunderland in Spain this Saturday.
Newly crowned European champions Spain have risen to third in the FIFA world rankings.
The latest rankings were published on Thursday, with World Cup winners Argentina holding on to the top spot following their Copa America triumph.
There were some notable changes to the world rankings after a busy month for football, with Argentina beating Colombia to win the Copa America and Spain defeating England to win Euro 2024.
Euros runners-up England moved up to fourth, leapfrogging Brazil after their underwhelming Copa America campaign.
Venezuela, who reached the Copa America quarter-finals, were the most improved side in the rankings, rising 17 places to 37th.
One of the other big movers were Euros quarter-finalists Turkiye, who jumped 16 places up to 26th.
The top 10-ranked nations:
1 - Argentina
2 - France
3 - Spain
4 - England
5 - Brazil
6 - Belgium
7 - Netherlands
8 - Portugal
9 - Colombia
10 - Italy
Pepe Reina has joined Como, whose preparations are under way for their first Serie A campaign in 21 years.
Como, coached by former Spain, Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, gained promotion back to Italy's top tier last season by finishing second in Serie B.
And they have made 41-year-old goalkeeper Reina their seventh signing of the summer transfer window.
Ex-Liverpool, Napoli and Bayern Munich shot-stopper Reina, who played alongside Fabregas for Spain, joins Como after leaving Villarreal, where he had spent the last two seasons.
He has signed a one-year deal with Como, having played just twice in LaLiga last term.
It has been reported Como are also attempting to bring in former Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane, who is a free agent after leaving Manchester United.
Freddy Adu wished Cavan Sullivan luck after the 14-year-old broke a long-standing MLS record.
Sullivan came on from the bench to make his debut for the Philadelphia Union in a 5-1 win over the New England Revolution on Wednesday.
At the age of 14 years and 293 days, midfielder Sullivan is the youngest player in MLS history, breaking the record set by Adu in 2004.
Indeed, it is not only an MLS record that Sullivan has now taken. He is also the youngest player to make his regular-season debut among the top North American professional sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and CFL).
"Big congrats to Cavan Sullivan for his record-breaking debut today," Adu wrote on X.
"That's a hard record to break and the kid did it. Well done and good luck my man."
Speaking to the Union's official media channels, Sullivan said: "It's pretty awesome, there's no feeling like this, it's pretty cool. The leagues get younger, so I might not hold it for a while, but I'll cherish it for sure."
Sullivan came on in the 85th minute, just after his older brother Quinn had scored the Union's fifth goal.
"I asked him a few questions along the way, he's always helpful," Sullivan added. "To watch him score, I'm really proud of him."
Los Angeles FC remain in the hunt for the MLS Supporters' Shield despite being held to a 1-1 draw with fellow contenders Real Salt Lake at the BMO Stadium.
Cristian Olivera opened the scoring early on, only for Brayan Vera's free-kick to level the scores in a game full of missed opportunities for the visitors.
After falling to a 5-1 defeat to Columbus Crew last time out, an instant response was required by Steve Cherundolo's side, and they did just that in the fifth minute.
Having returned from Uruguay's third-place finish at the Copa America, Olivera pounced on a mistake by Salt Lake keeper Zac MacMath to net his fifth goal of the season.
MacMath almost presented the hosts with another opportunity to increase their lead as he gave the ball away to Mateusz Bogusz just inside his own half, but, the Pole's speculative effort was tipped over by the Salt Lake captain.
Having withstood the early pressure from LAFC, Vera would draw his side level in the 33rd minute as he took aim from distance, with the outstretched foot of Ilie Sanchez deflecting the ball beyond Hugo Lloris.
Diego Luna went close to giving the visitors early in the second half as Eduard Atuesta's free-kick stung the palms of MacMath.
Pablo Mastroeni's side registered 19 shots in the contest, 10 of which came inside LAFC's penalty area, with only two of those on target.
LAFC face the Seattle Sounders this weekend while Real Salt Lake travel to Colorado Rapids ahead of the Leagues Cup break.
Inter Miami returned to the summit of the Eastern Conference following their 3-1 win over Toronto FC at the Chase Stadium.
Federico Redondo scored twice in the second half to add to Diego Gomez's opener, with Derrick Etienne netting a late consolation for the visitors.
FC Cincinnati's 1-0 loss to Chicago Fire ensured the Herons returned to top spot, bouncing back from their 6-1 defeat to their Queen City rivals last time out.
Lionel Messi, who is recovering from an ankle injury following Argentina's Copa America success, watched on as his side almost fell behind only for Deandre Kerr to fluff his lines inside the area.
That opportunity would be capitalised on three minutes before the break, with Gomez firing the ball beyond Sean Johnson for the first real moment of magic in the contest.
Toronto continued to create chances, with Federico Bernardeschi almost providing an instant response only to see his curling effort saved brilliantly by Drake Callender.
But Inter Miami would increase their advantage shortly after the interval, with Redondo heading in at the back post following Julian Gressel's teasing delivery.
The Argentine would double his tally for the evening, and the season six minutes later, rounding off a superb team goal with a neat finish inside the area.
John Herdman's side would get themselves on the scoresheet heading into the final 10 minutes with Etienne placing the ball into the far left corner.
But Inter Miami would hold on to secure a 15th triumph of the season, ahead of their final fixture before the Leagues Cup against Chicago Fire this weekend.
Ange Postecoglou has insisted that his full focus remains on bringing success to Tottenham after being linked with the England job.
It was announced on Tuesday that Gareth Southgate had resigned from his position as the England head coach after an eight-year tenure.
Southgate managed 102 games in that time, taking charge of his century fixture in the Three Lions' penalty shootout win over Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
The 53-year-old, however, became the first manager in European Championship history to end up on the losing side in two finals following their defeat to Spain in Berlin on Sunday.
Under Southgate's tenure, England reached more major tournament finals in four attempts (two) than they did in their first 23 appearances at the World Cup and Euros (one) before his appointment in 2016.
However, England are on the hunt for a new manager, with Postecoglou among the potential candidates to take on the role alongside Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Pep Guardiola.
Tottenham started their pre-season preparations with a 5-1 win over Hearts on Wednesday, and the Australian stressed his immediate attentions were on preparing Spurs for the new campaign.
"I am at the start of pre-season and am the Tottenham manager, so I have got nothing else [on my mind] but trying to bring success to this football club," Postecoglou told Sky Sports.
"Until I do that, there is no point in me thinking about anything else."
Postecoglou is no stranger to international management, having taken charge of Australia between 2013 and 2017.
Australia secured qualification for the 2018 World Cup during his tenure, ending with a win percentage of 44.9% from his 49 matches in charge.
"I enjoyed my time [with Australia]. I had four great years," Postecoglou continued.
"We won the Asia Cup and qualified for the World Cup, but with all these things there is always a natural end, and I thought it was a natural end for me there.
"I loved coaching the national team. In the future, who knows? Five years ago I was in Japan, and now I am in the Premier League."
Dani Olmo has said he has several options ahead of a potential move from RB Leipzig after playing a starring role in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph.
Olmo scooped the Golden Boot at the European Championships while also helping La Roja triumph a record fourth time in the competition.
His goal against France in their 2-1 semi-final victory saw him become the first Spanish player to score in three successive games at the Euros finals.
Olmo's five goal involvements at Euro 2024 (three goals, two assists) is the most by a Spaniard at a major tournament since David Silva at Euro 2012 (two goals, three assists).
The 26-year-old's form at the European Championships have seen him touted for a move in the transfer window, with Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all potential destinations for the midfielder.
The Spaniard joined RB Leipzig in 2020 from Dinamo Zagreb and has played 148 times for the Bundesliga club, scoring 29 goals and providing 34 assists in all competitions.
Olmo has said he’s already made it clear to his representatives where he wants to play his football next season.
"We'll see. Yesterday we celebrated all day and now I'm at the campus," Olmo told reporters.
"The people who deal with that (transfer market) already know what I want to do. I don't know if I'll stay in Germany, we'll see.
"I want to be somewhere where I'm valued and loved and what I want to do is win. There are several options, we'll see what happens.
"The truth is that between the Euro cup, the celebration and the campus I have seen little of that. What I want is an ambitious project and I want to win titles."
For now, the Spaniard is expected to take a short break before joining Marco Rose's side for pre-season.
The German club are set to travel abroad for pre-season for the first time in history as they will visit the US later this month, playing games against Aston Villa and Wolves.
At one point, the thought of Dwight Yorke leading Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz setup would have been far-fetched, but not anymore.
This, as the former Trinidad and Tobago and Manchester United stalwart was among 40 candidates that threw their proverbial hats in the ring to fill Jamaica’s Head coach spot, which was left vacant following Heimir Hallgrimsson’s resignation.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) confirmed Yorke’s application, but with the number of potential candidates now narrowed down to five, general secretary Dennis Chung was reluctant to say whether or not the 52-year-old made the shortlist.
“We actually got about 40 applicants from Europe, South America and in the Concacaf region, and Technical Committee Chairman [Rudolph Speid] have cut that down to five. So we will be doing the interviews in another week or so and then we will announce the successful candidate,” Chung said during a press conference on Wednesday.
“He [Dwight Yorke] did apply, but as it relates to the five, I don’t want to say who it is as yet. But certainly Dwight is someone who was in the initial 40,” he added
Yorke, who took his first steps into management in 2022 when he was appointed Head coach of Australian side Macarthur FC, lifted the Australia Cup that same year with the A-League side, before parting ways with the club in 2023.
While his experience from a managerial perspective may not be as glittery as that of other potential candidates, Yorke admitted that he has gained knowledge from several legendary figures, including Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger.
“I’ve spent time with the likes of Pep, Sir Alex, Steve McLaren and Arsene Wenger,” Yorke told The Mirror.
“They will tell you: everyone wants to play attacking, front-foot football. I love that, being an attacker myself. You want to just score goals but there is a balance here. If you don’t have [a] good structure and a good system in place, then you are always likely to struggle,” he added.
SportsMax.TV understands that former Reggae Boy turned coach Jobi McAnuff, and former Reggae Boyz assistant Miguel Coley were also among the candidates that applied for the job.
Meanwhile, Chung explained that the JFF has taken lessons from Hallgrimsson’s tenure and eventual departure, as the Icelandic coach was said to have had a strained relationship with the federation.
Shortly after quitting Jamaica’s programme, following a failed Copa America campaign, Hallgrimsson was appointed by the Republic of Ireland.
“We have certainly taken a lot of lessons from it, I don’t necessarily agree with some of the things that were said, having gone through the process and we know what happened. What I was referring to being surprised about is that my expectation is that if someone knows they are going to leave, they should give adequate notice that is the professional way to do it,” Chung said.
“So we know that the signs were there, but we expected that on a professional basis, the appropriate notice would have been given. But it worked out for us because as soon as the [Hallgrimsson’s] announcement was made, we started getting interest from all around the world,” he shared.
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