Coley declares readiness for Boyz head coach job

Former national senior assistant coach Miguel Coley says he is ready and willing to take charge of the Reggae Boyz, following the resignation of Steve McClaren on Tuesday night.

McClaren stepped down after Jamaica failed to secure automatic qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following a heartbreaking 0-0 draw with Curaçao before a capacity crowd at the National Stadium. The result sent the Curaçaoans to their first-ever World Cup after they topped the qualifying group with 12 points, one more than Jamaica.

However, the Reggae Boyz still have another route to qualification as they will face New Caledonia of the Oceania Confederation in the semi-finals of the FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs in Mexico next March. A win would send the Jamaicans into a final showdown against the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a place at the World Cup.

Coley, currently an assistant coach with Zakho Sports Club in Iraq, says he will definitely be willing to take over the reins of the national team as they prepare for that crucial playoff run.

“I will definitely take the job because I believe that I have the know-how and experience to go out there and inspire these players to get the job done for the country,” Coley said from his base in Iraq.

He previously served as assistant coach under Winfried Schäfer from 2014 to 2016 and believes that his familiarity with Jamaican football makes him the ideal candidate.

“I have been with the national team before. I have been to two Copa America tournaments as the assistant coach for two and a half years with the national team,” Coley noted.

Extensive résumé

Coley has pointed to his extensive coaching résumé, which spans multiple regions and competitions.

“I am coaching Zakho Sports Club in Iraq and we are playing in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League and the Iraq league. We have a pretty good team, a very dynamic team, and the objective is to win the league and go as far as possible in the Champions League,” he said.

Coley, who led Jamaica College to five straight Manning Cup and Olivier Shield titles, also highlighted that he currently holds a UEFA Pro License.

“I have coached in four other countries so far - Iraq, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Iran – and, of course, I have coached in Jamaica. So I have got a lot of experience,” he added.

When contacted on Thursday, Rudolph Speid, Technical Committee chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation, said the search for a new head coach was already under way.

“We are getting a lot of applications, and we are looking at all of them and then we will make a decision. Every time we have a vacancy, his (Coley’s) name comes up, but we will be looking at the best that we can get,” Speid said.