Reggae Boy Damion Lowe trains at Sabina Park in Kingston yesterday, ahead of their Concacaf Gold Cup qualifier against St Vincent and the Grenadines at the same venue tonight. (Photo: JFF Media)
‘FINISH THE JOB’
McClaren wants Reggae Boyz efficiency against St Vincent in decider for Gold Cup
After the Reggae Boyz avoided an embarrassing loss during the Concacaf Gold Cup qualifiers against St Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday, Head Coach Steve McClaren says the team is still adjusting to his tactics but that he expects them to put on a better showing in the second leg today.
The national senior men’s team take on the Vincentians at Sabina Park at 7:00 pm with the advantage despite a 1-1 draw at Arnos Vale in the first leg. Leon Bailey’s last-minute penalty ensured that the Jamaicans got the away goal which means a goalless draw would be enough to see them qualify for this summer’s Gold Cup.
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However, many local supporters were left frustrated by the team’s performance as they were seconds away from a shocking defeat to the lowly ranked Vincentians.
McClaren, though, believes the result didn’t reflect the team’s efforts and expects more urgency this evening.
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“As I said to the players, 75 per cent possession with 16 attempts on goal and seven on target, normally that wins you a game and we have to replicate that,” he said. “The only thing that I think we’ve talked about, is the urgency and tempo need to be higher because we need to attack quicker. So, the tempo just needs to be higher. When we went a goal down, the urgency went up and the tempo increased and we need to keep that tempo high against this opponent.”
The Englishman, who was appointed head coach in July, has only managed two wins in seven competitive matches, with both wins coming away from home.
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McClaren says the team will need time before his style of play can manifest.
“We’ve started a new style, which is my way of playing and they have to get used to that,” he said. “When they go away and come back, we have one or two days in which to recreate certain patterns that we’ve had in terms of build-up and pressing and that takes a while to synergise and we’ve yet to do that.
“Sometimes we have it so we [say to them], ‘That’s great play, great tempo, width, tempo, speed, chances, crosses but we need that more consistently over the 95 minutes’.”
An away goal for St Vincent today would put the Reggae Boyz in a precarious position, but McClaren says the team is more aware of the threat they’re set to face.
“They didn’t surprise me, they surprised the team by the way that they played and the speed in which they could transition,” he said. “And I said and warned they’re a good team. They beat El Salvador so we knew that if they’re up against big opponents, they’re up for the game but it’s up to us to do the job and the theme is finish the job.”
Vice-Captain Damion Lowe, who missed the first leg, has been added to the match day squad. McClaren expects to have all the players available, although admitting to having a few injury concerns.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Andre Blake, Jahmali Waite, Shaquan Davis
Defenders: Damion Lowe, Ethan Pinnock, Joel Latibeaudiere, Richard King, Amari’i Bell, Kyle Ming, Christopher Ainsworth, Fitzroy Cummings, Dexter Lembikisa
Midfielders: Bobby Decordova-Reid, Isaac Hayden, Jahshaun Anglin, Sue-Lae McCalla, Tyreek Magee, Demario Phillips
Forwards: Leon Bailey, Shamar Nicholson, Demarai Gray, Kaheim Dixon, Renaldo Cephas, Warner Brown
