Kingston (Jamaica), Jan 31 (IANS/CMC) Winfried Schafer has returned to Jamaica to begin a four-year stint as head coach of the country's senior men's football team leading to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia.
The 64-year-old German has agreed to terms with the Jamaica Football Association (JFF) after mulling over a contract presented to him in December. Apart from his duties as national coach, Schafer is also expected to play a lead role in the restructuring of JFF technical programmes and the operations of the age-group teams.
"There are going to be some changes, (such as) his assistants. Schäfer will be working alongside the JFF technical team in helping to reshape and restructure football going forward. It is not going to be business as usual," said JFF president Horace Burrell.
JFF has promised that it will soon release details of its contract with Schafer, who has coached in his homeland, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
He accepted a four month contract which ran out last November in an effort to revive Jamaica's Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign. Burrel says he is impressed by the German's work ethic.
"On one occasion, he drove from Montego Bay to Kingston to watch a game and then drove back down to Montego Bay the same evening to catch a night match. Such is the nature of the man in terms of his interest and enthusiasm and having spent the Christmas with his family, I expect to see an even more energised Schäfer coming back," Burrell recalled.
The Reggae Boyz are expected to face 1998 World Cup winners France in a friendly June 8 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, France.
--IANS/CMC
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