Former Reggae Boy & HVFC international, and current HVFC senior team Asst. Coach, Ricardo ‘Bibi’ Gardner has been announced as the new coach of the National Under 20 Men’s team. Gardner, who played over 15 years in England with Bolton Wanderers, is to be assisted by another former Reggae Boy & HVFC international Altimont ‘Freddie’ Butler who was also a member of the 1998 World Cup campaign. They take over from Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore and Lenny ‘Teacha’ Hyde who led the team to the 2015 CONCACAF finals. Preparation for the next FIFA Men’s Under 20 World Cup will begin in January 2016.
Whitmore meanwhile has been reassigned to the National Futsal program where he will take over as coach. He will be assisted by another former Reggae Boy & HVFC player, and current HVFC senior team Asst. Coach, Fabian ‘Kojie’ Taylor. Both Whitmore and Taylor participated in the recent FIFA Futsal Coaching Course conducted by FIFA Instructor Graeme Dell.
In making the announcement JFF president Captain Horace Burrell pointed out that “Futsal is considered first of all an excellent developmental form of the sport and also offers another avenue for participation in the sport for many who cannot necessarily make a eleven a side team. The Federation is about creating more opportunities for our players”
Jamaica for the first time has entered World Cup Qualifiers for the FIFA FUTSAL World Cup beginning with the CFU Qualifiers, January 22-26, 2016 in Cuba.
Source: Irie FM