Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

The Jamaica Football Federation has denied rumours that former England boss Glenn Hoddle is expected to be the man named to lead Jamaica in their 2010 back to Africa World Cup campaign.

According to reports published by The Independent Online Edition, Hoddle has been short-listed along with Argentine Jose Pekerman but has been preferred, due to having a higher profile, a closer proximity to the players based in Europe and speaking English.

It has been reported that Hoddle, who guided England to a second round appearance in the 1998 World Cup, will travel to the island in a couple of days to continue talks with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF). The JFF has been on the hunt for a new technical director for quite a while and are confident that they will have one by the time interim national coach Carl Brown's contract runs out in November. They have, however, firmly denied any knowledge of Hoddle emerging as a front-runner in the race for a need technical director.

Never a secret

"I don't know anything about that, I'm hearing it for the first time. What I do know is that it was never ever a secret that he has been one of the coaches being considered but to say that he is now the front runner is news to me," said president of the association Crenston Boxhill.

"He is one on the shortlist but I would rather not get into where I'd put him and that has been so for a little while," he added.

Hoddle, who quit as manager of the Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, is said to be keen on the job, as it will offer him a route back to international management.

The JFF, which has also been linked in talks with another former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, are expected to pay far less than the £3 million (J$363m) rumoured for Erickson with the help of the Government and private sector, but is aware that any quality coach will still fetch the big price tag.

"High quality coaches don't come cheap ... but for the one we want to lead our programme, one with a proven track record, that can respect and motivate our players, you need to get somebody that has the right profile," Boxhill said.

"However, in terms of our funding we have had discussion with the Government and several private sector members who have given us a commitment, so we are close to identifying the funding," he added.