Reggae Boyz vs Suriname – PREVIEW
Jamaica interim coach Whitmore continues journey
Andre Blake will take over the captaincy for Jamaica’s perilous must-win Caribbean Cup qualifier when Suriname are the visitors to Kingston on Sunday. The shotstopper has been handed the skipper’s armband for the re-arranged contest after Je-Vaughn Watson was ruled out through injury.
Watson has undergone surgery on his hernia, which leaves the New England Revolution midfielder sidelined for up to eight more weeks. And interim head coach Theodore Whitmore will also be missing influential defender Kemar Lawrence, who aggravated his hamstring last weekend playing for the New York Red Bulls.
But Whitmore, who is eyeing up a victory that will bring a money-spinning prize of reaching next year’s Caribbean Cup semi-finals in the United States as well as earning a 2017 Gold Cup berth, has had time to prepare his squad after the original game was postponed.
Safety fears at the Anthony Spaulding Complex in Kingston meant last month’s game was delayed.
This is good news for Blake, who wears the no.1 jersey at Philadephia Union, who will add to his 20 caps for the Reggae Boyz since his 2014 debut between the sticks.
The May Pen-born 25-year-old, who spent his youth guarding goal in the USA for Connecticut Huskies, has pedigree in the Caribbean Cup as he collected the Golden Gloves award as best keeper when Jamaica won the 2014 tournament.
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Blake explained: ”As it’s my first captaincy at the national level it’s a privilege. For me it’s no added pressure as I’m a (natural) leader.”
The Boyz are expected to turn over relative minnows Suriname, who surprised Guyana 3-2 in the three-team group, with all matches in the competition played until a winner has been determined.
With the stakes so high, Whitmore has no option but to go all out for victory. And he too has pedigree in the Caribbean Cup having guided the Boyz to success in 2010 as head coach.
Whitmore has been given two Caribbean Cup ties to show his worth to the Jamaica Football Federation, who gave up on Winfried Schäfer – the man who replaced Whitmore in 2013 – following their embarrassing shot at the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Whitmore said: “We’re looking forward to the Suriname game, and we don’t want to leave anything up to chance.”
His Suriname counterpart, Roberto Gödeken, has selected some key players that the Boyz will need to keep on a close eye on. Attacking midfielders Roxey Fer and Mitchell Kisoor are always dangerous in front of goal with strikers Dimitrie Apai and Stefano Rijssel the biggest threats to beating Blake.
And history favours Suriname, who surprised the Boyz 3-1 in their past Caribbean Cup tie 20 years ago when Whitmore was an ever present in Jamaica’s side.
This is the chance for 44-year-old Whitmore to prove that he deserves to take over the reins with the Boyz again, as well as avenge their shock defeat to Suriname in 1996.
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