Reggae Boyz legend Deon Burton has been added to the Reggae Girlz coaching staff as assistant coach. American Renee Balconi also joins the team as the high-performance coach.

Jamaica’s head coach Hubert Busby made the announcement on Friday as he prepares for the Reggae Girlz International Friendlies against France on Friday, October 25 and South Africa on November 29 and December 2, 2024.

Burton was a part of the first core of English-based players to join the Jamaican team in the 1990s en route to the country’s historic qualification to the 1998 FIFA Men’s World Cup in France. He is the current Under-23 coach at West Bromwich Albion.

“Deon Burton is coming on to be one of the assistant coaches as well and primarily work with our forwards,” Busby revealed. “As you can see, we’ve got our incredibly talented group and led by one of the best strikers in the world at the moment, so why not have them come in and work with them.”

Busby added: “Obviously with players playing the premiership, he knows the league. He’s there as well which is a big bonus for us because it gets Deon to go and see some of the games in person when he can, when he’s not coaching with the U-21s at West Brom, so, we’re excited to bring him on board and with his expertise and of course, you know, he’s so excited to be back and giving back to the country that’s given him so much as well. So, we’re excited to have him on staff.”

He continued: “Coach Gilbert will be there as well along with Andrew Sewell, and Sanford Carabino rounds out the technical team”.

Burton was instrumental in Jamaica’s qualification to the World Cup scoring four goals from five games and was voted the 1997 Sportsman of the Year.

Meanwhile, Balconi who was appointed director of High Performance at Houston Dash earlier this year, joins the Reggae Girlz staff, coming with a wealth of experience. “Renee come to us from the Houston Dash. I’ve known Renee for years when she’s worked at LSU on the woman’s side with my wife, so I know her very well,” said Busby. “We’re really pleased to have her involved with the programme. And like I said, she’s working in a professional women’s environment, so she’ll be joining us for this camp.”