by Howard Campbell
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Steve McLaren, the ex-England soccer manager, is now the head coach of Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz. This was announced on August 1st. He replaces Icelander Heimir Hallgrímsson who resigned in June.
The 63 year-old McLaren is a former journeyman midfielder who played for clubs like Hull City and Oxford United. He has coached a number of teams in England and The Netherlands, including Derby County, Newcastle United and VfL Wolfsburg.
He was England manager for one year, starting in 2006, before being sacked. McLaren was assistant manager at Manchester United to Erik ten Haag at the time he accepted the Jamaican job.
Rudolph Speid, a senior member of the Jamaica Football Federation, said his organization is impressed by McLaren’s credentials.
“He worked with Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, won the Dutch League, coached in the UEFA Champions League and has worked with big name players. He was referred to us, I knew of his work.”
Hallgrímsson was coach of the Jamaica Reggae Boyz for two years. He resigned after a disastrous Copa America campaign in the United States in June where they lost their three matches to Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela.
Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke from Tobago was also considered as a replacement for Hallgrímsson. He has now been named as the head coach of the Republic of Ireland.
McClaren’s first assignment as Jamaica’s head coach will be the September 6 CONCACAF Nations League against Cuba at the National Stadium in Kingston.
