HUE - FILE
KEY PLAYER Jermaine Hue has not been included in the Jamaica squad which departs today for a practice match against Honduras on Saturday in Atlanta, United States.
The talented midfielder, around whom Jamaica have centred their play while rebuilding over the past six months, was left out of a 14-member squad because he did not show up at national training sessions organised for this warm-up game.
The Jamaican senior team has been preparing since Monday and Wendell Downswell, the head coach, admitted learning off-hand that Hue had left the country on "business".
"Jermaine has left the island ... apparently. He left the island saying he is off on some business," Downswell stated.
"He should have turned up on Monday for training and he didn't."
Commenting further, the coach pointed out that "any national player leaving the country must inform the JFF or the club.
"It's very irresponsible on his part. We have guidelines. Players know that once you are leaving the island you must notify the manager."
Clyde Jureidini, general manager of Hue's club, Premier League leading Harbour View, said: "From what they told us, he (Hue) is supposed to return today (yesterday)".
The midfielder, who it was learnt went to New York, did not represent his club in its 2-0 Premier League win over Wadadah at Jarrett Park last Sunday.
However, he played last Wednesday in their 2-0 win over Tivoli Gardens.
Besides Hue, Tivoli Gardens striker Ronald Dean, who has become a fixture while forming a speedy and deadly front-line alliance with Luton Shelton, has also been left out of the squad.
Dean has not scored for his club in their most recent matches and Downswell indicated that among reasons for leaving him out.
"We rotate players from time to time. We've carried some to Atlanta and then we'll carry some to England," he said of an upcoming tour for the four-nation Unity Cup in Britain.
KEEP ROTATING SPOTS
All these matches are part of the Reggae Boyz' build-up to next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in the United States.
Downswell further explained that: "What happens is that we have a nucleus and we keep rotating four spots.
"Some times you have players who form the nucleus and their form has dropped.
"If you look at Roland Dean's form, he's probably not as sharp now. We've another tour to England too, hopefully we can work him in."
Shelton has been included and three other forwards are listed for this trip in Kevin Deerr, Teofore Bennett, who is now playing in the US, and Dean's clubmate Christopher Nicholas, who represented Jamaica at youth level.
Nicholas is one of two new invitees to the unit. The other is Portmore midfielder Jason Morrison, who has impressed lately in the NPL.
Regular US-based midfielders Andy Williams and Khari Stephenson were not included due to club commitments, leaving goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, Jermaine Johnson, Claude Davis and Tyrone Marshall as the overseas-based players in the 18-man squad.
The Jamaica squad: Donovan Ricketts, Shawn Sawyers (goalkeepers); Tyrone Marshall, Damion Stewart, Jermaine Taylor, Tyrone Sawyers, Robert Scarlett, Garfield Reid, Claude Davis (defenders); Jermaine Johnson, Omar Daley, Nicholi Finlayson, Jason Morrison, Lovell Palmer (midfielders); Luton Shelton, Christopher Nicholas, Kevin Deerr, Teofore Bennett (forwards).
