KINGSTON, Jamaica – Former Jamaican international Theodore Whitmore has been appointed as the new manager of the Reggae Boyz to replace John Barnes, who left to take over English third-division club Tranmere Rovers.
The appointment of the 36-year-old Whitmore came following Jamaica’s 3-2 friendly victory over Panama on Sunday. Jamaican Football Federation spokesman Nodley Wright explained that Barnes’ contract was to expire June 30 and that the federation installed Whitmore to prepare the team for next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.
This will be the third time Whitmore has served as manager of the Reggae Boyz. He replaced Bora Milutinovic on an interim basis in November 2007, winning two friendlies before ceding to Rene Simoes. He then filled in for Simoes in September when the Brazilian was fired following a pair of losses in five days that virtually eliminated Jamaica from the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying.
Whitmore coached the team for three games, a pair of 1-0 World Cup qualifying victories over Mexico and Honduras and a 3-0 win over Canada, before giving way to Barnes. The former Jamaican-born English international then guided the team through the Caribbean Championship finals, winning the Reggae Boyz’ fourth title in front of a home crowd.
Besides the national team, Whitmore also served as player-manager of Jamaica club team Seba United in 2006. He scored 24 goals in 105 appearances for Jamaica, including two goals against Japan in Jamaica’s World Cup debut in 1998.
Jamaica will begin the Gold Cup on July 3 against Canada in the first game of the tournament opening doubleheader. It is returning to the CONCACAF nations championship for a seventh time after missing the biennial event in 2005.
