Big chance for local Boyz to impress Hallgrimsson

Against Argentina, national senior men’s head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson got to see Jamaica’s strongest squad in action in evaluating the way forward for this new World Cup qualifying cycle.

Against Cameroon in five days’ time, he will have the opportunity to see the local-based talent on display, including new faces and returnees in his ongoing process of assessing the needs of the team.

Hallgrimsson’s 20-player squad was released yesterday to face FIFA World Cup-bound Cameroon on November 9 in what is set to be the Reggae Boyz final international game of the calendar, with most players coming from the Jamaica Premier League looking to impress Hallgrimsson ahead of a competitive year for the team, which includes Concacaf Nations League Play as well as the Gold Cup.

Among those getting first -time call-ups are Mount Pleasant’s Alwayne Harvey, Trivante Stewart, Dundeholden’s Peter McGregor, and Minnesota United’s Justin McMaster of Major League Soccer for the game that will serve as Cameroon’s send-off before the team departs for the FIFA World Cup, which begins on November 20.

The local-based contingent left the Sangster’s International Airport yesterday afternoon en route to Cameroon with the possibility of national defender Kemar Lawrence joining the squad still up in the air.

Lawrence last played for the Reggae Boyz in January in their 3-2 loss to Panama, but up to yesterday, team manager Roy Simpson indicated that there was no confirmation of his availability for the fixture although efforts were being made to include him in the squad. Should he choose to accept the call-up, it will be the first time in nine months that the 30-year-old will be part of the national team set-up after a failed World Cup qualifying campaign. Lawrence’s potential inclusion would make him the most experienced among the group with 74 international appearances.

Full squad: Alwayne Harvey – Mount Pleasant; Colorado Murray – Harbour View FC; Damion Lowe – Inter Miami; Demario Phillips – Mount Pleasant; Devon Williams – Miami FC; Dwayne Atkinson – Cavalier SC; Jahmali Waite – Pittsburgh Riverhounds; Jamoi Topey – Mount Pleasant; Javain Brown – Vancouver Whitecaps; Jourdain Fletcher – NEROCA FC; Kevon Lambert – Phoenix Rising; Lamar Walker – Miami FC; Maliek Howell – Memphis Tigers; Ricardo Thomas – Dunbeholden FC; Richard King – Cavalier SC; Kemar Foster – Waterhouse FC; Kemar Lawrence – Minnesota FC; Peter McGregor - Dunbeholden; Justin McMaster – Minnesota FC; Trivante Stewart – Mount Pleasant.