“We have to win the next two games”
Head coach McClaren demands reaction from Boyz after opening defeat
Published:Friday | June 20, 2025 | 12:12 AM
Having lost to Guatemala 1-0 in their opening game of the Concacaf Gold Cup, Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren said the team will need to win their remaining games against Guadeloupe and Panama if they are to advance to the next round of the competition.
Jamaica will take on Guadeloupe today in their second fixture of Group C at PayPal Park, with kickoff set for 6:45 p.m. Jamaica time.
Speaking ahead of the match, McClaren said the priority will be to recover from their opening defeat and get a result against Guadeloupe to bring their campaign back on the rails.
“We were very disappointed against Guatemala. Not the ideal start, and we have to win the next two. The next one is [today] against Guadeloupe, so we need a reaction from the team, a reaction from everybody,” he said.
“We said it was going to be a different game against Guatemala and it was, and this one also, we have to be prepared and be ready and make sure we have that mentality to give a reaction in performance. And, if we get the performance, we’ll get the result.”
Jamaica currently sit third in the group standings without a point, but better Guadeloupe who are rooted at the foot of the table as a result of their 5-2 defeat at the hands of group leaders Panama.
In his preparations for the match, McClaren admitted there is still instability in his midfield, an issue, he said, that has plagued the squad since his appointment last year.
The Reggae Boyz boss believed he had found his midfield answer in Isaac Hayden, but now finds himself with more questions than answers, as the midfielder has been ruled out of the remainder of the competition through injury.
IMPORTANT RECRUITMENT
“I think it’s been a problem from the first day I came in. We identified Isaac Hayden as an important recruitment. We got that through in November and he stabilised out midfield,” McClaren said.
“Unfortunately, he has to go back now but long term. When we’re looking at World Cup Qualifiers, as long as Isaac stays fit, we have the ideal person that glues the team tighter. When he’s not, we’re searching around a little bit for a solution and, at the moment, we haven’t found that ideal six to play that role.”
With Hayden’s absence, McClaren said he will have to turn to various alternative solutions to bring more control to the midfield.
He identified Joel Latibeaudiere as a player who could fill the role, but also explained a change in formation could help bring the right results.
“People have done a great job. [Latibeaudiere] is fantastic. He comes in and he always does a job for us.
“We try to help the team, also, with an inverted fullback to give us a little, but more stability in there and, it is conundrum and one that we have to find a solution for,” he continued.
Regardless of how he selects his team to take on Guadeloupe today, McClaren said the decider on the field will be how well his players rebound from their earlier defeat to Guatemala.
“We’re focused on the present. One game at a time and the most important is Guadeloupe, and that we get a reaction from the team. It’s not about tactics, it’s not about midfield, it’s about a reaction and a mentality to bounce back and show resilience and get a result.”