Latest News
Concerns over Reggae Boyz’s ability to survive WCQ matches - Coaches believe shortage of first-team players will make matches more difficult
September 04, 2025
According to two top local football coaches, there is much cause for concern regarding Jamaica's senior men's national team, which will be without eight regular players, mostly starters, for the upcoming Concacaf World Cup Qualifying games against Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago.
Owing to injuries, Jamaica will be without reliable goalkeeper Andre Blake and Shaquan Davis, defenders Ethan Pinnock, Di'shon Bernard and Amari'i Bell; midfielders Joel Latibeaudiere, Bobby Reid and winger Leon Bailey.
Although Jamaica will still start as favourites, former national assistant coach Bradley Stewart and experienced former national youth coach Donovan Duckie believe the player shortage in the first team will create some challenges over the two matches.
Veteran coach Stewart believes that not having the best players available is a problem in itself, but cautioned also that the players coming in might not have enough time to properly execute the demands of the coaching staff.
"If you don't have your best team you are going to struggle. And for some basic reasons. There will be no understanding with the new people you are fitting into the team because of a lack of training together," he surmised.
"So coordination is going to be a pie in the sky, because if you don't train together you will not develop that cohesiveness that is required under tough conditions," Stewart added.
NOT INSPIRED CONFIDENCE
He also noted that the team's poor performance at the Concacaf Gold Cup has not inspired a lot of confidence in its ability, and that automatically there will be doubts surrounding what is now literally a second team.
"A second team is not going to be considered to be as good as the first team. The hope is that, if they are quality players, then struggling isn't something that should be mentioned. But don't expect us to be as efficient with the second string players," Stewart reasoned.
"We just have to hope that these kids are motivated to come and do their best and that their best is good enough," he commented.
Nevertheless, he thinks there is still enough quality in the squad to see the team through over the two matches.
"Those players (Demarai Gray, Renaldo Cephas, Shamar Nicholson, Matthew Hayden) are excellent players, and with the rest of players coming (in), the expectation is that we should do well," he continued.
"They have experience. They have had a long run with the national team, so it shouldn't be too difficult to expect from those players high level performances. The problem will be with the rest of the players who have not been getting regular runs," Stewart contemplated.
"But whilst it is that they are not at usual strength, I am expecting a win at all cost. But it's going to be difficult."
BIGGEST LOSS
He says the loss of goalkeeper Blake, the Reggae Boyz captain, will be the biggest of all, even though Jahmali Waite and Davis, who is also out injured, have deputised with distinction at times during his absence.
"Playing with a new goalkeeper is always a challenge. Blake has consistently been in the goal," Stewart said. "Goalkeepers are a special breed, whilst it is that shot-stopping ability is important. How you restart the game, how quickly you communicate with teammates and how the team adjusts to survive are crucial.
"I am hoping that he (Waite) is playing on a regular basis and is ready to start. He is a top line player and it is expected that he has the ability to see us through."
Meanwhile, head coach of Jamaica Premier League team Chapelton Maroons, Donovan Duckie, says while the Boyz will have the measure of Bermuda, Trinidad & Tobago will be a much more difficult prospect.
A former coach in the national set-up, Duckie pointed to the eight meetings between the countries over the last two years and says the fact that Jamaica are missing so many big-name players will put the advantage in Trinidad & Tobago's favour.
"To play against Bermuda with our present squad we should get through. What I am concerned about is that we have been in a partnership with Trinidad, who we have played multiple times in the last few years.
"I think Trinidad is saying to themselves, 'we have them where we want them'," said Duckie.
"If they look at the players that are out, 90 per cent of the times if we have them we will beat Trinidad. Now with all the players coming in it's a different ball game in terms of matchups and the psychology," he argued. "The psychological aspect for me would go in favour of Trinidad.
BETTER QUALITY LEAGUE
"Despite our league being better and (the fact that) our international players are playing in better quality leagues, it will be more competitive than it would be, if we had the people who are out.
"So I think it swings the balance in favour of Trinidad getting even a draw. The advantage we would have had to separate ourselves from them more comfortably, I don't think it is there any more. So the game will be more competitive."
Like Stewart, he thinks Blake is the most significant loss.
"I think losing Andre Blake at the back is the biggest loss. Now we have to think about our core structure and strengths of the team," Duckie said.
"But Bell and Leon are two of our more creative players in breaking the line in the modern game. So those are big losses for us as well."
