‘OUTSIDE FORCES BENCH MI’ – Jamaica Observer

With disappointment over the Reggae Boyz’s failure to automatically qualify for this summer’s FIFA World Cup still fresh, winger Dujuan “Whisper” Richards says outside forces prevented him from making more of an impact during their qualifying campaign.

Richards, 20, was part of the national team that finished second in their Concacaf World Cup qualifying group behind Curacao, who advanced to the global tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, leaving Jamaica to fight for a place in March’s inter-confederation play-offs.

The Chelsea winger, who came in as a last-minute replacement for Demarai Gray before the start of the October window, played the final four games of the final round but didn’t make a single start, making four consecutive substitute appearances, including in the must-win game in November against Curacao at the National Stadium, where he played 12 minutes in the goalless draw.

While many criticised former Head Coach Steve McClaren for not playing him more, Richards doesn’t believe the Englishman had a role to play in his lack of minutes.

“Personally, mi tink mi shoulda out deh from one minute into the [game], get the groove in and get comfortable in the game rather than 10 minutes,” he said on the Let’s Be Honest podcast. “Ten minutes, me still no get the confidence yet, still no get to the peak of the game yet. Because when you come on at 10 minutes, you have to catch up the game, you can’t just feel like you can come on and just [be] Cristiano Ronaldo. You have to catch up with the game speed.

“I think it’s somebody outside because I really like the coach and me think him really like me as well. Mi know I was in form for the last three games and mi ago get 10 minutes [when] those [other] games mi get more than that and the important one, you give me less? Mi nuh really feel like a him but mi think seh somebody behind it.”

Richards received heavy criticism from the public after viral photos showed him at a popular nightclub hours after the draw with Curacao.

He admits he was wrong but says he was trying to cope with the disappointment.

“The pain from not qualifying for the first World Cup in like how many years, the pain from getting 10 minutes, mi already vex and mi head lost then me supposed to go back to the UK in the morning,” Richards said.

“Definitely I shouldn’t [have gone] but it happens. It’s just a mistake. You can’t judge me because at the time, mi did just feel a way seh mi get ten minutes, seh wi never qualify. It wasn’t a don’t care moment, it was just a mistake.”

The former Kingston College star feels he’s been unfairly targeted since signing professionally with Chelsea.

“When mi did a play Manning Cup, everybody love Whisper,” Richards said. “Mi live in Port Royal and never get a bad message, lone love everybody message mi. As soon as me start make the money – him this, him that.

“Mi live a life for 17 plus years where me have to see my mother around gambling table at sleepless nights to mek mi eat. Mi see everybody do everything to make sure mi good and nothing nice to witness where wi have to cry for food. So when mi work for how much years to put myself on a level and mi treat myself, people a go say him hype. Why yuh neva tell mi seh mi hype when mi a beg for food or mi hungry?”

Despite the cloud hanging over the Reggae Boyz, Richards said, “I think we’re going to qualify 99 per cent” as they look to beat Oceania’s New Caledonia and DR Congo or Nigeria of Africa in March.

He also believes a local coach is the right move from the Jamaica Football Federation, though not commenting on the appointment of interim Rudolph Speid.

“I think a Jamaican coach should coach a Jamaican team because a Jamaican coach understands Jamaicans,” Richards said.

Since his debut in 2023, Richards has two goals in 14 appearances for the Reggae Boyz.

Jamaica winger Dujuan Richards (left) takes on Curacao defender Sherel Floranus during their Concacaf World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium on Tuesday, November 18. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)