Jamaica name squad for World Cup qualifiers

Kingston (Jamaica), Sep 4 (IANS): Jamaica have named two newcomers in a 27-man football squad for their World Cup qualifying encounters away to Panama Friday and at home to Costa Rica Tuesday.

Leicester City defender Wes Morgan, and Shaun Cummings of Reading FC were included by new head coach Winfried Schafer during a news conference here Tuesday, reports CMC.

Marlon King and Chris Humphrey, who were banned from the national team for breach of the team’s disciplinary code of conduct, have been recalled.

Also returning to the squad are midfielder Jobi McAnuff, captain of Reading FC, and striker Luton Shelton, both of whom were absent from Jamaica’s last three World Cup Qualifiers for varying reasons.

McAnuff missed the games for personal reasons, while Shelton was surprisingly dropped from the team.

“We must go to Panama confident,” German coach Schafer told the media before releasing the list of players.

“I want players who have heart for Jamaica. If they don’t have heart, I don’t want them.”

Five local-based players have been named in the squad- goalkeeper Gariece McPherson, defender Adrian Reid, midfielder Wolry Wolfe, defender Kemar Lawrence and striker Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson.

Central defender Adrian Mariappa, who signed for English Premiership outfit Crystal Palace from Reading FC Monday, has also been included, though he remains ineligible for Friday’s game against Panama, having received a red card in Jamaica’s last game against Honduras June 11.

“We have to be a team, not 11 players, but a team, with a strong bench, strong 11 on the field,” insisted Schafer.

“We must give the players confidence, and we must trust the players, and the players must fight for each other.”

Jamaica sit in the cellar position in their final CONCACAF qualifying group and desperately needs a win to keep alive its chances of qualifying for next year’s world cup in Brazil.