Steve McClaren’s ‘tacky’ Jamaica exit: Tearful boss is savaged by former Premier League star – who declined chance to play for the country – over his resignation after they were beaten to World Cup spot by tiny island nation
The fallout of Jamaica’s failure to qualify automatically for next year’s World Cup and Steve McClaren’s shock resignation has continued, with a former Premier League player calling the manager’s decision as ‘tacky’ and ‘tasteless’.
Jamaica were given a double shock within minutes on Tuesday night; first when a 0-0 draw at home to Curacao saw them resigned to a qualifying play-off spot for next year’s final. Then shortly afterwards McClaren resigned as manager during his post-match press conference.
During his speech, the 64-year-old said: ‘It is the responsibility of the leader to step forward, take accountability and make decisions in the best interests of the team.
‘After deep reflection and an honest assessment of where we are and where we need to go, I have decided to step down as head coach of the Jamaican national team.’
However, on Wednesday ex-Premier League striker Troy Deeney took aim at McClaren – stating that his speech was ‘disingenuous’ and that he has left Jamaica in a worse place for doing so.
Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, Deeney said: ‘I like Steve. 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.
Troy Deeney has hit out at Steve McClaren for resigning as Jamaica manager on Tuesday night
McClaren quit as Jamaica manager after failing to qualify them for the World Cup automatically
The Reggae Boyz were held to a dismal 0-0 draw in Kingston by minnows Curacao, who have qualified for their first ever major tournament – while Jamaica will now head to the play-offs
‘To me it felt disingenuous. It didn’t feel like it was really him and also they’re in the play-offs so you’ve left them in a worse position now.
‘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”.
‘It’s one more round of games, just figure it out. Just get through it and win the game.’
As Deeney alludes to, the Reggae Boyz can still qualify via the play-offs and will face either Democratic Republic of Congo or Iraq in the first round.
‘I would love someone to ask Steve that if they had won that game and gone through would you have still resigned?,’ the former Watford captain continued. ‘And the answer would have been no because there would have been a World Cup at the end of it.
‘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?”.
‘I think he’s created more of a problem now and I would’ve loved it, as someone of Jamaican heritage, to have not seen him read off paper. From the game ending to you doing a press conference you had time to write and self-reflect as a leader? Not for me.
‘If he anything about him he’d have screwed the piece of paper up and put it in the bin.
‘I could be wrong but it feels pre-prepared. It felt “if we win, we’re going in this direction. If we lose, we’re going in this direction”.
‘It doesn’t look right and Steve is a very a good guy but it comes across tasteless and tacky.
‘It doesn’t come across as something Steve would normally do but he said it so has to be accountable for it.’
With the three Concacaf giants – USA, Mexico and Canada – already qualified for next year’s tournament by virtue of being the host nations, this was seen as a golden opportunity for Jamaica to secure their spot at only their second World Cup. Their sole appearance having been at France ’98, when they finished third in their group and failed to advance to the knockout stages.
During his playing career, Deeney had the opportunity to play for Jamaica but declined.
With the three Concacaf giants – USA, Mexico and Canada – qualified for next year’s World Cup by virtue of being the hosts, this was seen as a golden opportunity for Jamaica to go through
There was joy for Curacao, who are heading to the World Cup for the first time ever
Speaking about why on the Poet and Vuj Podcast in 2019, he said: ‘I turned down Jamaica because I’ve never been there,’ he said.
‘I’ve got family that live there but it’s never interested me. Why would I go there and play football and represent a country I’ve never been to?
‘I thought about going there and doing it and if I did do it, every bit of money I got from it I would then put back into Jamaica.
‘I wouldn’t actually take any money because you’re stealing from the land essentially. My nan and that live there, my uncles go out there all the time, but me personally, I have no interest to go there.’
