Bailey Included In Jamaica’s Final Gold Cup Squad
Reggae Boyz omit untested Johnson and Morrison
Leon Bailey, still recovering from a hamstring injury, has been included in Jamaica’s final 23-player squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The 21-year-old who was an unused substitute in last night’s 1-0 friendly win over hosts USA, has yet to represent the Reggae Boyz at senior level.
And the Bayer Leverkusen star could make his debut when Jamaica kick-off their bid to reach a third final on the bounce when they tackle highly rated Honduras at Kingston’s National Stadium on 17 June.
Head coach Theodore Whitmore gave a handful of players the chance to shine in Washington DC last night, and has stuck by those who played with confidence.
He has omitted midfielder Ravel Morrison, the former Manchester United starlet and ex-England youth international who recently acquired a Jamaican passport, from the Gold Cup squad.
And midfielder Daniel Johnson, who plays for English Championship outfit Preston North End (PNE), was in Jamaica’s provisional squad of 40 but is another notable absentee.
The English-based defender Adrian Mariappa (Watford), is a surprise exclusion from Whitmore’s trimmed down 23-strong squad.
Some members from Jamaica’s 2017 Gold Cup squad, who finished runner-up against the United States, are included. Most notably there is influential skipper and goalkeeper Andre Blake, in-form Kemar Lawrence and Romario Williams.
Jamaica’s Gold Cup squad: Leon Bailey, Andre Blake, Brian Brown, Junior Flemmings, Maalique Foster, Shaun Francis, Michael Hector, Amal Knight, Kevon Lambert, Kemar Lawrence, Andre Lewis, Damion Lowe, Tyreek Magee, Darren Mattocks, Dwayne Miller, Shamar Nicholson, Ricardo Morris, Dever Orgill, Alvas Powell, Jamoi Ropey, Peter Vassell, Je-Vaughn Watson & Devon Williams
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