The Jamaican football community has been rocked by a dramatic double blow, following the national team's failure to secure an automatic spot in next year's World Cup and the immediate, shock resignation of manager Steve McClaren.
A Night of Double Disappointment
The Reggae Boyz were dealt a severe blow on Tuesday night, playing out a dismal 0-0 draw at home to Curacao. This result confirmed they would miss out on automatic qualification and would instead have to navigate the precarious play-off route. The setback was compounded minutes later when Steve McClaren, 64, resigned during his post-match press conference.
In a statement that appeared to be read from prepared notes, McClaren stated, 'It is the responsibility of the leader to step forward, take accountability and make decisions in the best interests of the team.' He added that after 'deep reflection and an honest assessment' he had decided to step down.
Deeney's Scathing Critique
However, the manner of McClaren's departure has drawn fierce criticism. Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney, speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, launched a stinging attack, labelling the manager's actions as 'tacky' and 'tasteless'.
'I like Steve,' Deeney began, 'But if you're going to resign straight after a game and apparently it's "emotional" then you can't be reading off a sheet of paper. You can't be reading a script. To me it felt disingenuous.'
Deeney argued that McClaren had abandoned the team at a critical juncture, leaving them in a worse position. 'They're still trying to qualify as there is an opportunity to do so but you've taken the easy route like "it isn't my fault",' he said. 'It's one more round of games, just figure it out.'
Questions of Premeditation and Legacy
The ex-Watford captain posed a pointed question that cut to the heart of McClaren's motives. 'I would love someone to ask Steve that if they had won that game and gone through would you have still resigned? And the answer would have been no because there would have been a World Cup at the end of it,' Deeney contended.
He suggested the resignation stemmed from a fear of failure, stating, 'For me it comes across as there was a little bit of fear of "what if I am not the person to get it over the line?".' Deeney, who is of Jamaican heritage, expressed his disappointment that McClaren relied on a script, implying the decision was pre-prepared based on the result.
'If he anything about him he'd have screwed the piece of paper up and put it in the bin,' Deeney concluded. 'It doesn't look right and Steve is a very a good guy but it comes across tasteless and tacky.'
The fallout leaves the Jamaican Football Federation searching for a new manager to guide the team through their upcoming play-off, where they will face either the Democratic Republic of Congo or Iraq for a chance to reach the World Cup finals.
