JFF to delay appointment of permanent head coach
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The appointment of the next Reggae Boyz head coach, which was expected to take place tomorrow at a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) board meeting, will be delayed by about a month, after the technical committee recommended an extended timeline for finding a suitable candidate.
JFF President Michael Ricketts disclosed that the technical committee wants to open the door for more applications to come in.
He noted that the technical committee has recommended a one-month contract for the previous technical staff, led by Rudolph Speid and assisted by Miguel Coley, to continue until after the Unity Cup, when a long-term successor will be named.
"To become the (head) coach is a process," Ricketts commented. "So you have to apply. Mr Speid has to apply like everyone else, and I know for sure that there would have been three or four coaches who have applied.
"The technical committee is the group that handles the employment and recommendations of these coaches.
"We got a document from the technical committee which recommended that we ask the present coaching staff to continue until the Unity Cup in England.
"So they are suggesting, and I think wisely so, and correctly so, that we ask the present staff of technical persons to continue until after the Unity Cup. Then we will open up again and ask people to reapply and then we go through the process," he revealed.
Speid, the interim coach for Jamaica's two intercontinental play-off games in March, and his assistant Coley, are currently the two front-runners for the head coach job.
However, there has been some pushback to Speid's reappointment. He has come under some criticism for the Boyz's failure at the intercontinental play-offs in Mexico.
The Cavalier boss is mainly being criticised for his squad selection and substitutions in the final against eventual qualifiers Democratic Republic of Congo, who defeated the Reggae Boyz 1-0 in extra-time.
He has also faced criticism for his role in the hiring and subsequent separations from coaches Heimer Hallgrimsson and Steve McClaren, during his role as technical committee chairman, prior to his coaching appointment.
Speid main local rival for the full time job, Coley, has submitted his application. In recent weeks, Coley has also been receiving strong support, both publicly and in the boardroom. However, Speid still has strong influence inside the federation.
The Unity Cup tournament, which will include Jamaica, India, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, takes place in England, May 26-30, and although most of the football public believe it would be ideal for a long-term coach to begin at the Unity Cup, the federation is apparently in no rush to find a suitable person.