Heimir Hallgrimsson, head coach of the national senior men’s football team (Photo: AFP)
Relations between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and Reggae Boyz head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson have deteriorated beyond repair, with the two sides said to be unhappy with each other and heading towards an early split.
Hallgrimsson, who led his native Iceland to its first FIFA World Cup appearance in 2018, has been approached by the Jamaica Football Federation in 2022 with the goal of helping Jamaica qualify for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
But despite a fairly respectable record of 11 wins, six draws and nine losses from 26 games with the Reggae Boyz, the 57-year-old’s tenure as manager has not been convincing, with his official record being 10 wins, three draws and five losses.
Jamaica are scheduled to take on Venezuela in their final Copa America group game at 7pm tonight in Austin, Texas, but it is likely to be the coach’s final game in charge of the national team.
In response to a query, JFF technical committee chairman Rudolf Spied would not comment directly on the matter but said the usual procedures, including a post-tournament audit of the technical performance, would be carried out immediately.
“As always, following the conclusion of Jamaica’s participation in the tournament the technical committee will meet to assess performance and consider any recommendations,” Spade told the Jamaica Observer in response to a question on Saturday.
But multiple sources say the damage is already done, with Hallgrimsson and JFF heading towards an inevitable divorce just two years before their contract expires.
The JFF hierarchy is disappointed with the team’s results and Hallgrimsson’s match management and has lost confidence in his ability to lead the team to World Cup qualification, with reports surfacing of a breakdown in relations between the coach and some key players.
It is noteworthy that the coach, who relocated to Jamaica in January 2023, four months after taking up his position, has already vacated the house provided by the JFF and returned to Iceland since January this year, visiting Jamaica solely for team duties.
Hallgrimsson, who is said to have begun lobbying for Aston Villa attacker Leon Bailey to end his controversial absence and play in the Copa America, has reportedly lost some credibility with the other players after suggesting ahead of the match against Ecuador that he was considering adding Bailey to the squad for the tournament, despite him publicly rejecting the initial invitation.
According to our information, this led to frustration among other players, which ultimately led the JFF to decide to officially suspend the 26-year-old winger and take the matter out of the manager’s hands.
Sources said the coach angered his employers by demanding a fee that was not stipulated in the terms of his contract after leading the Reggae Boyz to qualification for the ongoing Copa America tournament, out of the US$2 million ($311 million) paid to participating teams.
But the unrest comes from both sides, with Hallgrimsson also losing love for the JFF, said to be frustrated by some management issues.
The coach was on the verge of resigning after Jamaica’s Nations League quarter-final first leg loss to Canada at the National Stadium in November 2023.
Hallgrimsson is also said to be unhappy with the level of support the federation has given to several UK-based players seeking passports to play for England, including Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson.
According to our sources, the two sides also disagree over the direction of the youth program, with Hallgrimsson and his team urging the inclusion of more foreign players in the age-group teams, while some in the JFF brass are calling for more home-grown players.
He was also disappointed that he was not reimbursed by the JFF for every trip he made to Europe to recruit players for the national team, but JFF insiders insisted that no reimbursement would be given without prior approval for the trips.
The Reggae Boyz, who scored their first Copa America goal in Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to Ecuador, will be looking to win their first match in the tournament on Sunday, but it may not be enough to repair the frosty relationship between the JFF and the Icelandic coach.
