Jamaica international Leon Bailey has vowed to silence his critics ahead of the new season after an underwhelming start to life in English topflight football.
The 24-year-old winger joined English Premier League (EPL) club Aston Villa last summer amid a flurry of high expectations for everyone involved in the deal. The player has, so far, failed to live up to many of those expectations.
Bailey’s problems have in the main stemmed from being unable to take the pitch. Two thigh injuries and an ankle injury saw the players miss significant time on the sideline. In fact, the forward has only been able to take part in 18 matches, with just 7 starts.
The player has given glimpses of his tremendous potential in a cameo against Everton last September, assisting one goal before scoring a belter. Bailey suffered a season-ending injury but has since returned to action for the Jamaica national team where he scored in the CONCACAF Nation’s League. It is a trend the forward intends to continue.
“Talk the same talk you did last season,” Bailey warned his critics via Instagram.
“New season incoming, I’m coming for everything they said I couldn’t achieve, mark my words.”
Reggae Girlz head coach Lorne Donaldson believes the team will have to play its best game against Haiti if it is to secure one of the automatic spots to the FIFA women’s World Cup from the Concacaf W Championship.
Locked on three points each after two games, the Caribbean teams are set for a winner-take-all showdown on Monday, which will see the victor secure a spot at the global football showpiece event next year.
The stakes of the game will be even higher for the Reggae Girlz who must win to advance as they will head into the encounter trailing but goal difference. By most metrics, the Haitian team has had a more impressive tournament to date.
The team began with a strong showing against the United States, who defeated them 3-0, a score that based on the run of play slightly flattered the Americans. The USA went on to defeat the Jamaicans 5-0. In their second match, the Haitians went on to devastate hosts Mexico 3-0. The Jamaicans had only defeated the Mexicans 1-0, albeit missing several other presentable opportunities to score. The Haitians unit has so shown a high level of fitness, skill, and extraordinary organization. It is a challenge Donaldson believes the team can meet.
“Coming into the tournament I always said Haiti would have a big part to play in this tournament. They have been to the last U-17 championship, and they have been to the last U-20 championship. So, people don’t understand the type of players Haiti has, they all play in France,” Donaldson said.
“Their fitness is what most impresses me, their discipline, they have been playing together as a group for a long time. They are well organized. We have to go in now and try to execute. We have to play one of our best games and we have to play football to win,” he added.
“If coming into the tournament, myself, the players if you had offered us this situation to be in, we would have taken it.”
Olympic champion Keston Bledman was welcomed home on Thursday, two days after receiving his 2008 Beijing Games men’s 4x100 metres gold medal in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Andrew Price has been appointed as Head Coach of Calabar’s Manning Cup team, the school announced in a statement on Friday.
Price is a seasoned coaching professional with over 30 years of experience as a player and coach.
He was the National Premier League’s Coach of the year in 2012 and was the assistant coach of the Reggae Girlz team that participated in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Additionally, Price continues to mentor and support youngsters through the Boys’ Town Football Club, with whom he has been associated for the past 20 years.
According to the statement released by Calabar on Friday, Price will be “responsible for the overall football programme and for coaching the Under-19 football team to develop students’ skills so that they may excel in football.”
The statement continued: “He is expected to deliver a competitive programme that contributes to the holistic development of the students in keeping with the school’s objective of producing rounded, capable young men with excellent leadership skills.”
Calabar are three-time winners of the Manning Cup with their latest triumph coming in 2005.
Haiti made a winning start to its bid to claim the title left vacant by six-time winners Barbados when they came from behind to defeat Jamaica 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-21) in their 2021 Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association Junior Men (Under-21) Championship round-robin opener at the Southern Regional Indoor Sports Arena.
Haiti’s coach Junior Siecle was a satisfied man afterwards.
"I'm very pleased with the win but going forward we still have to make some corrections as I'm not satisfied with our blocking," he said.
Meanwhile, team captain Dieulengy Relis said the team didn’t start as well as they would have preferred but they are happy to come away with the win.
“We started off a bit slow but then we found our momentum and played much better as the match went along," he said.
"We are very happy to start with the win, and now we must continue to improve to win our other matches as well.”
Jamaica’s coach Steve Davis said fatigued played a major role in his team’s performance.
"We are not ones to make excuses but we reached in late and also had a long stay in immigration,” he said.
"Apart from that, we also had little preparation time at home due to exams and we know that our players can improve their level of play and will improve in the next match.”
Andrae Robb captain of Jamaica also said he felt his team was badly affected by their travel schedule and a lack of confidence.
"We know where we fell short in this match and we need to improve for our next encounter," he said.
Haiti will take on Suriname on Saturday, July 9 at noon in the five-nation round-robin winner-take-all competition while Jamaica will have a short turn-around as it plays host Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.
She is one of the fastest women in the world in the 100m hurdles but Ackera Nugent, the second-fastest Jamaican woman on the planet this year, is not considering turning professional just yet. According to the reigning World U20 champion, getting an education is among her goals and she still has unfinished business as a collegiate athlete.
Nugent, 20, who completed her sophomore year at Baylor University in May, ran a personal best of 12.45 at the Big 12 Championships in Lubbock, Texas on May 15.
The time, which she shares with Jamaican champion Britany Anderson, is the sixth-fastest in the world this year. Only Texas Tech’s Demisha Roswell’, who ran 12.44 to beat Nugent at the Big 12 Championships has run faster.
Notwithstanding, what is a significant accomplishment, Nugent is focused on completing her education at Baylor where she is majoring in Psychology.
“Basically, having an education with track is very important, so if I decide to go pro, I’d still be going to school but I have only ran 12.4 once and I haven’t run healthy, so I have decided that I should come back to college and focus on trying to get an outdoor NCAA title,” said the 2021 NCAA National Indoor champion.
Two years of college, she said, have been a great learning experience for her.
“It has taught me a lot. That I need to expect the unexpected, that you will have your highs and lows but you have to get up and do what you have to do, especially not having your family around you, your support system and when you have to put your trust in a coaching staff, a medical team,” she explained.
“It has helped me grow so much. I am more mature and Baylor is helping me grow into the amazing athlete that I think I am today.”
Nugent shut down her season in June after tearing her plantar fascia in regionals earlier this year. The decision saw her miss the NCAA Division I nationals in Oregon and also the Jamaica National Championships at the end of June.
Haiti leapfrogged Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz on the back of a five-star performance against Mexico, which saw them down the host 3-0 in the second match of the Group A Concacaf W Championship on Thursday.
This result also means the United States cannot finish lower than second place in the group and has officially qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
The match started on a high for Haiti. In the 13th minute, Mexican defender Stephany Mayor committed a foul in the area and the referee awarded Haiti a penalty. Roselord Borgella calmly scored her first goal for Haiti in this round of the qualifiers.
Haiti kept pushing and in the 29th, Borgella scored what seemed to be the second goal of the match but after a VAR review, was judged to be in an offside position.
The irrepressible Haitians looked a constant threat and got another opportunity to add to the lead in the 65th minute when GK Emily Alvarado brought down Nérilia Mondésir in the area. Mondesir stepped up and scored the second goal of the match for her team.
Mexico’s faint comeback hopes received a fatal blow in the 77th minute when centre half Greta Espinoza received a yellow card but saw it upgraded to a red card after a VAR review.
A minute later, Sherly Jeudy stepped up to score a sensational freekick for Haiti, which flew over the wall and arrowed into the top left corner of the goal. The win was the first time that the Caribbean side has beaten Mexico in a CWC match and saw them move past Jamaica into second in the group on goal difference.
Mexico will close out group play with a match against the now-qualified USA, while Haiti will tackle Jamaica in a winner take all showdown for the next available spot from Group A.
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz suffered a setback in the bid to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup following a 5-0 loss to world champions the United States, in the Concacaf W Championship on Thursday.
The loss was the first for the team in group A, after opening its campaign with a 1-0 over hosts Mexico. It did not take an industriously starting United States long to get on the score sheet as they broke the deadlock in the 5th minute courtesy of the boot of Sophia Smith.
The player doubled the lead just three minutes after with a lob over the head of Jamaica goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer, which looked to have been cleared off the line, but was judged to have crossed it.
A dominant performance for the Stars and Stripes continued in the second half when Rose Lavelle fired wide of Spencer after a 14-minute spell of resistance for the Jamaicans. With the game winding down substitute Paige Bailey-Gayle brought down Margaret Purce and Kristie Mewis scored the resulting penalty in the 84th minute. Substitute Trinity Rodman completed the rout with a goal two minutes later. The win saw the United States stay at the top of the group with 6 points, while Jamaica were second with 3 but with Haiti and Mexico yet to play in the later game.
Edwin Allen High School speed twins – Tina and Tia Clayton – will go pro and join the MVP Track Club, according to a report published in the Jamaica Observer.
The twins, who turn 18 on August 17, have been standout high school athletes for the past few years with Tina developing more quickly than her sister Tia over the past couple of seasons.
Both were members of Jamaica’s 4x100m team that set a world record 42.94s at the World U20 Champions in Nairobi, Kenya last year. Both were also members of the team that ran 42.58, a world record at the 2022 Carifta Games held at the National Stadium in Kingston in April. However, that time was not ratified by World Athletics when Jamaican authorities failed to test Tia, who had won the 100m title the night before.
At the National Championships at the end of June, Tina, the World U20 100m, set a new national U20 record of 10.96, breaking the previous record of 10.97 set by Tokyo Olympic gold relay medallist Briana Williams.
Tia, the Carifta Games silver medallist, who was third at the national championships boasts a personal best of 11.25.
Sources indicate that on the basis of the incredible performance by Tina at the national championships several potential sponsors were chasing their signatures but according to a report in the Jamaica Observer, one of those companies managed to move ahead of the rest and seal a deal that will see the girls ending their respective impressive high school careers.
At MVP, Tina and Tia Clayton will most likely be under the guidance of Stephen Francis, who has enjoyed tremendous success over the past decade with two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah, the only woman to win the 100/200m double at consecutive Olympic Games.
Jamaica Reggae Girlz head coach, Lorne Donaldson, is hoping for sharper finishing in front of goal against the United States but expects that to continue improving as the team gets more games under its belt.
The Jamaicans kicked off the Concacaf W Championship in impressive fashion with a 1-0 win over hosts Mexico on Monday. The team, however, in all likelihood could and should have won by a bigger margin having created several clear-cut opportunities throughout the match.
Most notably, Khadijah Shaw scored the all-important goal but also hit the upright in the second half, while attempting to chip Mexican goalkeeper Emily Alvarado. Forward Jody Brown was also guilty of a bit of profligacy, after being played through clean on goal on three occasions but picking out the keeper with all three attempts.
With the Reggae Girlz scheduled to tackle the world's number one ranked the United States on Thursday, such opportunities are likely to be few and far between. Donaldson was quick to point out, however, that attacking coordination and finishing in front of the goal takes time to develop and time is a luxury that the team did not have in its preparation for the tournament.
“The sharpness up front takes time (to develop) and we had no games coming in. Two weeks of preparation was all we had to get the group together. Some of the team came in a little unfit so we tried to spend some time getting the fitness up,” Donaldson said.
“So, for that sharpness, hopefully, our instincts will kick in, because the hardest part of the game is to get your finishing touch and we saw that. So hopefully, we will have a bit more luck and do a better job in that department.”
The top two teams from each group will advance to the next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Wednesday announced the match schedule for the West Indies Men’s “A” Team series against Bangladesh Men’s “A” Team in August.
The series will be played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia and will feature two four-day first-class matches and three 50-over matches from 4 to 20 August.
This will be the first West Indies Men’s “A” Team series since 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic restricted opportunities and the resumption of West Indies Men’s “A” team matches sees the return of a key development opportunity for players pushing for selection to the West Indies senior team and for emerging players to build their First-Class International experience.
Roland Holder, CWI’s Senior Operations Manager said the series will provide exposure for a number of players and noted it was part of CWI’s commitment to continually developing talent for the international level.
“We are pleased to have confirmed the itinerary for the Men’s ‘A’ Team series with the BCB and we are excited to host Bangladesh in the region again,” Holder said.
“This is a vital part of the development of our players in the pathway toward full international selection, and no doubt this upcoming series of matches in Saint Lucia will provide a platform for further exposure and progress.”
He added that CWI and BCB are also in the planning stages for a reciprocal tour by West Indies “A” to Bangladesh in 2023.
BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said the “A” Series provides an excellent opportunity for players of both teams to prepare for international commitments.
“The international schedule is getting busier by the season and therefore it is very important for the cricketers to keep themselves ready through good competitive cricket. We thank CWI for accommodating the A tour. The four-day ‘Tests’ and the One-Day matches will be an invaluable experience for the players,” he noted.
“The BCB and CWI share a warm longstanding relationship and have worked tirelessly to make this tour happen. I hope we will see more reciprocal programmes between the two boards in the future.”
Match schedule:
Daren Sammy Cricket Ground
4-7: August: 1st Four-day “Test” – local start time 10 am (9 am Jamaica)
10-13 August: 2nd Four-Day “Test” – local start time 10 am (9 am Jamaica)
16 August: 1st 50-over match – local start time 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica)
18 August: 2nd 50-over match – local start time 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica)
20 August: 3rd 50-over match – local start time 9:30 am (8:30 am)
Professional Football Jamaica promises a booming start to the 2022-23 Jamaica Premier League season as powerhouse rivals Waterhouse and Arnett Gardens are set to clas in the "BOOM El Clasico".
The "BOOM El Clasico" will see the JPL giants square off over two legs of football slated for October 10 and 17 at Waterhouse Stadium and Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, respectively.
Each club will be allowed to field celebrities as a nod to their communities that have produced some musical giants over decades. Arnett Gardens and Waterhouse's long-standing rivalry attracts the largest spectator following in local football.
Title sponsors BOOM Energy Drink have sweetened the pot with a winner-takes-all prize payout of $JMD1M.
Brand Manager Keteisha McHugh looks forward to welcoming fans,
"BOOM has taken the market by storm, becoming the number-one energy drink in Jamaica. We are the life of any party, so we look forward to bringing our usual high energy to match the excitement of Waterhouse and Arnett Gardens in October. Come October 17, we will find out who's ‘Badda dan’ so come mek we BOOM it up!" said BOOM Brand Manager Keteisha McHugh.
In reacting to the announcement PFJL Chairman Chris Williams said the partnership reflects the significant growth of Jamaica’s football.
“Football is booming in Jamaica,” he said.
“BOOM has joined with the PFJL in continuing the tremendous growth of professional football in Jamaica. BOOM will be answering the question we all have. Who is better; Arnett or Waterhouse? We expect a massive turnout, great football and loads of excitement from this intense rivalry.”
The Jamaica Premier League 2021-22 season culminated last Sunday with newly-crowned champions Harbour View getting the better of Dunbeholden 6-5 on penalties to secure their fifth premier league title.
The Jamaica Tallawahs have announced their overseas signings for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which gets underway on 31 August.
Left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir will be joining the Tallawahs for the first time having represented the Barbados Royals last season, claiming 11 wickets at an average of 13.54.
The other four overseas players have all had experience with the Tallawahs in the past. Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was with the franchise in 2020 where he took 12 wickets and went at an economy rate of just 5.27 runs an over.
Imad Wasim, Chris Green and Miguel Pretorius were all with the Tallawahs in 2021 and will return this season as overseas signings. Brandon King and Fabian Allen have also been signed by the two-time champions.
Power hitter Rovman Powell has been retained by the franchise along with Kennar Lewis and Shamarh Brooks.
The Tallawahs will have seven more spots to fill at the Hero CPL draft with details of these picks released during the draft show which will be broadcast this Thursday – 7 July – at 9am Eastern Caribbean Time.
Jamaica Reggae Girlz goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer expressed satisfaction with the strength of the team’s overall performance in an opening day win over hosts Mexico in the Concacaf Women's Championship.
Mainstay forward Khadijah Shaw got the all-important goal in the 8th minute, but Spencer made an equally telling impact between the sticks for the team. The goalkeeper proved to be an assured presence in controlling the area and also proved highly effective with her distribution ability.
In addition, the custodian’s acrobatic save from Mexico’s Carolina Jaramillo not only kept the Jamaicans in front but might be one of the best of the tournament so far.
“It was all about the team yesterday. I think from front to back and obviously, the subs also came on and made a big impact in the game. So, yesterday was a real team performance,” Spencer said.
“I thought the game was good it was a really good team performance. Scoring early on and to have the lead so long was certainly a big one for us,” she added.
The appearance was Spencer’s fifth for the national team. The Jamaicans will next be in action against the United States on Thursday.
Reggae Girlz coach Lorne Donaldson has commended the team’s work ethic and fighting spirit in an important 1-0 over hosts Mexico to kickstart the Concacaf Women’s Championships on Monday.
The team’s talismanic strike Khadija Shaw got the decisive goal in the 8th minute and secured all three points, which could yet prove telling in the competition’s group of death.
With the top-seeded United States and Haiti still to come, in the competitive group A, maximum points was a welcome start for the Jamaica team who have not had the smoothest build-up to the tournament.
“We came into this game without even playing a practice game, but we went to Colorado and we trained a bit,” Donaldson said.
“I’m very proud of the girls, proud of the way we fought all night and I think the training we did in preparation helped. I’m very proud of the girls, I give them all the credit, I just stand on the sideline and point my fingers and they do all the work.”
The Jamaicans will next be in action on Thursday when they tackle the world’s top-ranked women’s team The United States.
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