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No news is goods news. That’s what Theodore Whitmore must be thinking as the week commences when a new coach of the Reggae Boyz will be named to replace Rene Simoes.
Based on the uttering of a very reliable source within the JFF, Whitmore should be the named pulled from the hat. “It’s not likely that a new coach from outside will be chosen,” said the source. “That person would not know the players and we would be starting from square one all over again.”
He said that no name has been confirmed, but a meeting of the Jamaica Football Federation has been convened for today to look at possibilities and to make decision about the near future. When Whitmore’s name was mentioned, he was non-committal. However, he did not shy away from the topic.
When told that Whitmore might not be willing to call players like Marlon King, the source was not perturbed. “I don’t think there will be any problem there,” he said. “All the selections were discussed by the staff, but the final word rested with Simoes. I don’t think that this would be the case.” King, one of the seasoned professionals left out of Simoes’ squad for no apparent reason, is said to have slighted Whitmore in the first game of the current World Cup campaign against the Bahamas at the National Stadium. Although he scored in the game, the Hull City striker was forced to sit on the bench for the duration of the second game played at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.
Whitmore had a successful stint coaching Seba United at the start 2007/2008 Premier League campaign and has accumulated considerable experience with Jamaica. He was named interm coach on the firing of Bora Milutinovic last December, sharing coaching duties with veteran Bradley Stewart until Simoes took regained the helm in January. He was also on the bench for the eight months that Simoes worked with the team. Whitmore was an integral part of Jamaica’s team which qualified for the World Cup finals in France 1998. He scored Jamaica's two goals against Japan in the country's lone but historic victory at the tournament.
The new coach will be responsible for guiding Jamaica through three remaining home games in the World Cup qualifiers as well as the Digicel Caribbean Cup to be hosted by Jamaica in December. Should Jamaica qualify, the coach would then manage the Boyz in the CONCACAF Gold Cup which comes up next year.
Based on the uttering of a very reliable source within the JFF, Whitmore should be the named pulled from the hat. “It’s not likely that a new coach from outside will be chosen,” said the source. “That person would not know the players and we would be starting from square one all over again.”
He said that no name has been confirmed, but a meeting of the Jamaica Football Federation has been convened for today to look at possibilities and to make decision about the near future. When Whitmore’s name was mentioned, he was non-committal. However, he did not shy away from the topic.
When told that Whitmore might not be willing to call players like Marlon King, the source was not perturbed. “I don’t think there will be any problem there,” he said. “All the selections were discussed by the staff, but the final word rested with Simoes. I don’t think that this would be the case.” King, one of the seasoned professionals left out of Simoes’ squad for no apparent reason, is said to have slighted Whitmore in the first game of the current World Cup campaign against the Bahamas at the National Stadium. Although he scored in the game, the Hull City striker was forced to sit on the bench for the duration of the second game played at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.
Whitmore had a successful stint coaching Seba United at the start 2007/2008 Premier League campaign and has accumulated considerable experience with Jamaica. He was named interm coach on the firing of Bora Milutinovic last December, sharing coaching duties with veteran Bradley Stewart until Simoes took regained the helm in January. He was also on the bench for the eight months that Simoes worked with the team. Whitmore was an integral part of Jamaica’s team which qualified for the World Cup finals in France 1998. He scored Jamaica's two goals against Japan in the country's lone but historic victory at the tournament.
The new coach will be responsible for guiding Jamaica through three remaining home games in the World Cup qualifiers as well as the Digicel Caribbean Cup to be hosted by Jamaica in December. Should Jamaica qualify, the coach would then manage the Boyz in the CONCACAF Gold Cup which comes up next year.
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