Jamaica’s World Cup campaign is set to be bolstered by the addition of West Ham striker Michail Antonio, who reports say, is to accept an invitation from the Jamaica Football Federation to represent the Reggae Boyz.
According to a report in the Telegraph newspaper in the United Kingdom, Jamaica wants to secure the powerful West Ham forward in time for the CONCACAF qualifiers in September against Mexico and Costa Rica.
However, JFF General Secretary Dalton Wint told Sportsmax.TV this morning that the player has shown some interest but nothing has been confirmed.
Should there be a successful transfer of allegiance, Antonio would join the likes of Ravel Morrison, Gregory Leigh, and Daniel Johnson as UK-born players who have chosen to represent Jamaica in the past three months and who debuted during two international friendlies against Saudi Arabia in November 2020.
He would also be player ranks that include the talented Leon Bailey, who now plies his skills with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany’s Bundesliga.
Jamaica, the report said, had tried to secure Antonio’s skills from 2016 but the player preferred to focus on his chances of representing England. Antonio, 30, has been part of England squads but has yet to make his England debut.
Sam Allardyce called Antonio up to the England squad in August 2016 for a 2018 World Cup qualification match against Slovakia in Slovakia on September 4, 2016, but was an unused substitute.
England manager Gareth Southgate called Antonio to the England squad in March 2017 for a friendly international against Germany and again for the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Lithuania later that month.
However, Antonio withdrew from the squad after picking up a hamstring injury.
Antonio has scored six goals from 14 starts for West Ham so far this season.
In 1998, when Jamaica qualified for the World Cup in France, the team was bolstered by the inclusion of Deon Burton, Paul Hall, Robbie Earle, and Frank Sinclair.
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Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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