Xavier Gilbert
With some of Jamaica's young female football players being an important phase of their development, Xavier Gilbert believes the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games represents a good opportunity for them to express themselves as they continue their growth process.
In fact, Gilbert, who will serve as Head coach for the youthful outfit to the June 24 to July 7 Games in El Salvador, says it important to expose players to competitive tournaments like these, especially since they represent the next generation of senior Reggae Girlz.
Olufolasade Adamolekun, Chris-Ann Chambers, Mireya Grey and siblings Mikayla Dayes and Malika Dayes, are the only players in the 20-member squad with senior Reggae Girlz experience.
The rest of the team, stacked with overseas-based players, comprises players who just completed the Under-20 cycle, while Shanhaine Nelson, Sydoney Clarke and Logan McFadden, are making a return to the programme.
The Girlz are drawn in Group B alongside Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico and Puerto Rico for the football tournament which begins on June 28.
"As you can see the makeup of the squad is mostly young players so this is just another opportunity for development and should be an excellent stage for those young players to go out and express themselves without fear of failure. Yes, we want to win some games and we hope to give a good account of ourselves but again, this tournament is more than a win at all cost mentality," Gilbert told SportsMax.tv.
"We want to play in a way that is conducive to developing technical footballers that can dominate possession and stay on the ball under pressure. So, exposing our young players to the competitive cauldron of tournaments like this is only beneficial if as coaches, we stay true to our aim of development, keeping it centered on the players," he added.
Gilbert pointed out that familiarity among the players will be crucial to their competitiveness, as the team will enter the tournament with very little preparation under their belt.
“Unfortunately, we won’t be having a lot of training sessions but whatever we can do, we will make the best of it before the first game against Colombia. The good thing is that a lot of the players are familiar with each other which is good, we just have to ensure that we do everything we can do to make sure there is good camaraderie once we get to El Salvador," he said.
It is for that reason why Gilbert welcomed the addition of some senior players, noting that their experience will be invaluable in not only assisting the younger players to adjust both on and off the field, but from a leadership perspective, they can ensure everyone is on one accord.
Goalkeeper Chambers was an integral part of the Reggae Girlz historic World Cup qualification in 2018 and was the team's ambassador at the 2019 showpiece in France, while Adomolekun and Grey were a part of the squad that paraded their skills against Australia, Italy and Brazil at that same world tournament.
“It is good to have them on board, as they will provide some level of leadership and the expectation again, is just to give the level of exposure to these young players, most of whom might be in the next (senior Reggae Girlz) cycle. So having this level of exposure is really good for them and Jamaica’s football," Gilbert noted.
“I think we should be able to give a good account of ourselves, the teams, especially Mexico will be taking their strongest units so I think that will be our toughest test. Of course, Colombia, El Salvador and Puerto Rico, will have a strong unit as well and are quality opponents. But we remain focused on what it is that we want to accomplish, and I am sure we will have much to be pleased about at the end of the Games," he ended.
Squad: Andrene Smith, Chris- Ann Chambers, Dannique Wilson, Davia Richards, Destiny Powell, Katie Oakley, Kersha Thomas, Lauren Reid, Logan McFadden, Maliah Atkins, Mikayla Dayes, Malika Dayes, Mireya Grey, Natoya Atkinson, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Shaneil Buckley, Shanhaine Nelson, Sheyenne Bonnick, Sydoney Clarke, Theanna Burnett
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
JFF appoints Omar McFarlane U-17 Reggae Boyz Ambassador ahead of World Cup qualifiers
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has appointed distinguished businessman and philanthropist, Omar McFarlane as the official Ambassador for the Under-17 Reggae Boyz, as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers scheduled to begin next year.
McFarlane has strong ties to Jamaica and Florida, where he founded the renowned Champion Football Club in South Florida. Champion is a non-profit travel football club that focuses on providing Jamaican youth players with opportunities to showcase their talent by competing in the Florida travel league.
In his role as Ambassador, McFarlane will play a critical part in helping to secure the necessary funding and support required for the Under-17 Reggae Boyz to excel and qualify for the age group World Cup, scheduled for 2025 in Qatar. His dedication to youth development and football excellence makes him an ideal candidate to support the young talents representing Jamaica on the international stage.
McFarlane shared his enthusiasm for the role.
"I am honoured to be appointed as the Ambassador for the U17 Reggae Boyz. I am committed to leveraging my connections and resources to ensure that our young players have the best opportunities to succeed and make Jamaica proud on the world stage,” he said.
The President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts expressed gratitude for McFarlane's willingness to support the Under-17 Reggae Boyz.
"We are thrilled to have Omar on board as our Ambassador for the U17 team. His passion for football and dedication to youth development align perfectly with our goals for the national youth programme. We look forward to working together to achieve great success,” Ricketts stated.
The JFF and the Under-17 Reggae Boyz are excited about the prospects of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and are confident that with McFarlane's support and sports loving fans, the team will reach new heights in international football.
FC Cincinnati v Atlanta United: Noonan demands in-form hosts stay humble
Pat Noonan will not let his FC Cincinnati team get too high following Saturday's memorable win over their rivals Columbus Crew, warning Atlanta United will offer them a stern test on Wednesday.
Cincinnati recorded a huge 2-1 road win over the MLS Cup holders last time out, with Kevin Kelsy and Luciano Acosta on target.
That victory – their fourth in a row – kept them three points behind Inter Miami at the Eastern Conference summit, but Noonan says any drop-off in midweek will be punished.
"The sign of a good team is when you have a poor performance or result, how do you respond to it and come back and have a better performance, or have a better result?" Noonan said.
"On the other side, when you have a good performance, how do you respond to that? Obviously, we have a short turnaround against a difficult opponent who we've just seen.
"If we don't turn it around the right way and if we're not prepared for Atlanta, we'll get humbled very quickly. Just like we can't get too low with bad performances, we can't get too high."
Atlanta, meanwhile, are 12 points behind Cincinnati in 10 th place, having been beaten 3-2 by D.C. United on Saturday.
They also lost 2-1 to Cincinnati when the sides last met in April, with two goals in two second-half minutes handing the Orange and Blue a comeback victory.
Asked what he would look to change ahead of Wednesday's rematch, boss Gonzalo Pineda said: "Simplify the message. It's about putting the players in a position to succeed, giving them tools, and the message that sometimes less is more."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Acosta has scored in four consecutive games, tied for the longest goalscoring streak in MLS play in Cincinnati's history.
He also had a four-game streak last June while Brandon Vazquez did so between July and August in 2022. Will he break new ground on Wednesday?
Atlanta United – Thiago Almada
Almada scored from the penalty spot against D.C. last time out, with one of his five shots in the game.
He has recorded five MLS games this year with at least five attempts at goal, with only Denis Bouanga (eight) and Lionel Messi (six) having more. He also netted his team's only goal when they last faced Cincinnati on April 20.
MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN
Atlanta are unbeaten in five all-time trips to Cincinnati in MLS, recording two wins and three draws there. Cincinnati are the only team the Five Stripes have visited more than twice without ever losing in MLS play.
However, Atlanta have only won two of their last 23 away games in all competitions (10 draws, 11 defeats) in a run dating back to late March 2023. No MLS team has fewer away wins in all competitions in that time.
Cincinnati have won their last four games and could set a new team record for successive victories here. With home advantage on their side, they are favourites to do so.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
FC Cincinnati: 45.4%
Atlanta United: 26.9%
Draw: 27.7%
Nashville SC v Toronto: Smith refuses to rule out playoff push
Nashville SC are ignoring any suggestions that an MLS playoff position is out of their reach ahead of the midweek clash with Toronto at GEODIS Park.
That was the message from the Boys in Gold head coach Gary Smith, whose side sit 13th in the Eastern Conference after their 1-0 defeat to Charlotte FC last time out.
Nashville are still only three points adrift of ninth-placed Philadelphia Union and a place in the postseason, with Smith refusing to give up hope.
"I don't believe, and nor do any of the guys in the group, that we are by any way, shape or form, out of the hunt for a playoffs position," he said.
"A couple of results get you right back in to the mix again, and that's, of course, our challenge over the next two games."
Toronto are fourth in the East standings after their 3-2 defeat against New York City FC in their last outing.
Visiting head coach John Herdman is looking forward to facing a familiar face in Jacob Shaffelburg when his side visit, however.
"He's flying at Nashville," Herdman remarked on Monday. "I've seen some stats at the weekend about his impact on their team and how many touches he has in that opposition half and how many crosses are leading to goals.
"I remember having him in that Gold Cup recently. He came off the bench and scored against the US. It shows where he's at now as a player."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nashville SC – Sam Surridge
Former Nottingham Forest striker Sam Surridge continues to provide the goals for Nashville this term, scoring a club-leading five in MLS this campaign.
The Englishman failed to find the target against Charlotte, but managed a hat-trick against CF Montreal in his previous outing before that.
Toronto – Prince Osei Owusu
In the absence of the in-form Federico Bernardeschi, Prince Osei Owusu will be expected to step up against Nashville.
The Toronto forward leads the club scoring charts with five goals in 12 MLS appearances this year, two ahead of any teammate in the league.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Opta's win probability has Nashville as the overwhelming favourites for this one, yet a draw may be more likely considering each team's recent form and head-to-head records.
Toronto are unbeaten in five straight meetings with Nashville (W2 D3), with the Boys in Gold the only side the Canadians have played three or more times since the start of the 2022 season and not lost against.
Nashville have also won only two of their last 16 matches against MLS opponents in all competitions (D6 L8), though 11 of the 12 points they have collected over that time have come at home (W2 D5 L3).
Smith's hosts have conceded at least once in 12 consecutive matches in all competitions, too, their longest streak in club history after opening the season with three straight clean sheets.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nashville SC win: 55.4%
Toronto win:18.6%
Draw: 26%
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