JUST days before Jamaica take on Mexico and the USA in crucial World Cup qualifying matches at the National Stadium, the coaching staff has expressed subdued delight of having its full complement of available players for the first time in these preparatory phases.

And while technical director, Brazilian Alfredo Montesso was happy that the players are together at last, he was still not happy about the last-minute arrivals of some players, which expected to impact preparations for the matches against Mexico on Tuesday, the USA on Friday here, and away to Honduras on Tuesday, June 11.

“We are (disappointed), but this is reality and it was the same with Brazil and Bayern Munich to release Gustavo and Dante, there are those problems with all the clubs,” Montesso told to the Jamaica Observer after a near two-hour training session at the JFF Technical Centre yesterday.

Since camp was called, two weeks ago, the final six players in Adrian Mariappa, Rodolph Austin, Darren Mattocks, Donovan Ricketts, Jermaine Beckford, and Theo Robison, trained yesterday for the first time with their teammates.

“It’s the end of the season ,and some of them had meetings with their clubs, and the clubs are deciding the future of these players. So we have to face it… it was not a FIFA date, so they have this right to remain with the clubs. Any way, this group has been growing together, so this is important at this moment,” said the newly appointed technical director.

Montesso said yesterday’s training session went well, and was particularly pleased that the German-born Daniel Gordon is fitting into the group.

“This moment we have to be training them and recovering them, so we have to be precise in the intensity of the training. We introduced Daniel Gordon into the squad because he was seeing some of those players for the first time, and it was really good. They received him very well,” the Brazilian noted.

The players had a light workout for the first hour, going through some basic drills in an apparent effort to build the vibes and spirit in the camp.

“It was good and really positive,” Montesso pointed out. “The six guys that arrived yesterday we went short with them. They had ice therapy after the training session trying to recover as early as possible. Tomorrow (today) they will have a full training session, but it was really positive for them today (yesterday),” noted Montesso.

Following Jamaica’s impressive 0-0 draw against Mexico in the Azteca in the opening qualifying game of the CONCACAF Hexagonal, the Boyz had scored just one goal while conceding three from three games, and the coaching staff has stepped up preparations in an effort to find the net more often.

“We concentrated on the backline, with the strikers to make the movement and the midfielders to move the ball from one side to another and create more opportunities, because we need to score goals. This is what we have to concentrate on now,” said Montesso.

“The first was light training, the second part was not so hard, but was intense, as we worked on the organisation of the team. The coach had the concept to mark the Mexico team as they have the characteristic to move from the other side of the flank and that’s what we worked on to keep shape and closing the corridors in between. That was important, and it was really positive, he reiterated.

The Boyz looked sharp in training, especially the two creative players in Kaemmar Daley and Jermaine Hue, making some wonderful passes while finishing well. Omar Daley and Jermaine Johnson also looked lively and Evan Taylor, Marvin Elliott and Rodolph Austin were steady as usual.

The team trains today again and Montesso has indicated that it will grow more intense as it gets closer to Tuesday when everything will be on the line for the Reggae Boyz.

Jamaica currently sit at the bottom of the six-team CONCACAF World Cup qualifying group on two points, three behind the leaders Panama on five points, and the flurry of matches, could prove a defining period for the Reggae Boyz and their ambitions to reach the 2014 FIFA spectacle in Brazil.