Big matches lined up for the Reggae Boyz

KINGSTOWN: Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, the first Caribbean Football Union side to reach the FIFA World Cup, may face China and Republic of Ireland in the build-up to their qualifying campaign of the 2006 world event in Germany. New Jamaica Football Federation boss Crenston Boxhill has indicated the Reggae Boyz could face the two sides over the next two months if everything goes according to plan. “We have been talking to Republic of Ireland, but I will not know the final details of that until Monday, while the Chinese are very interested in playing us and have sent us a proposal,” Boxhill said.

The Reggae Boyz, who appeared in the FIFA World Cup 1998 finals in France, are set to face Republic of Ireland, ranked 14th in the world, on Wednesday, February 18, and then tackle China, the 86th rated team, the following month. In the meantime, technical director Carl Brown has named 1998 World Cup finals vets Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, Ian Goodison and Aaron Lawrence in a 14-member squad of senior players to attend a training camp as the Reggae Boyz begin preparations for the kickoff of the 2006 qualification campaign. “We are starting with that small group because we don’t have the available space (with the Under-23s in camp as well),” Brown said. He added that as part of his World Cup preparation, he’s hoping to set up training camps in England and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for his players in May.

Squad:
Shawn Sawyers, Aaron Lawrence, Fabian Taylor, Damion Stewart, Ian Goodison, Theodore Whitmore, Fabian Davis, Gerald Neil, Teofore Bennett, Kasai Hinds, Jonathan Williams, Cornel Chin-Sue, Roen Nelson and Jermaine Hue.