Tag: Leon Bailey

Agent: Disgruntled Jamaica star Bailey won’t play despite Copa America call-up

The Aston Villa star slammed the Jamaican federation in an explosive rant back in March

Just three months after announcing he was taking a break from the Jamaica national team in an explosive rant, Leon Bailey was included on the team’s 26-man roster for the Copa América.

But that doesn’t actually appear to mean the Aston Villa star will play for the Reggae Boyz at the upcoming tournament.

Just hours after Jamaica head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson included Bailey on his squad, the winger posted a two-word message on his Instagram account.

“Misleading information.”

That was quickly followed up with another Instagram post, this time from Bailey’s agent Craig Butler.

“Leon Bailey has stated that he is taking a break from the Jamaica national team for his mental health and to spend time with his family. His position has not changed,” Butler wrote.

“We kindly ask that you respect his wishes at this time. Posts made on social media that are surfacing at this time is a misrepresentation of his position. We wish the Reggae Boyz well in the Copa America competition and he, along with his management team, will continue to support the Jamaica National Team at all levels … change must come…Respect and One Love for all.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8JAec9O9Uw/?hl=en

Hallgrímsson suspended Bailey for Nations League matches in March after the winger missed curfew during a November camp.

Bailey took exception to the suspension — and basically everything else related to the Jamaican team and federation — as he announced he wouldn’t be returning to the national team in a brutally honest interview on the Let’s Be Honest podcast.

“A lot of people don’t know that most of the time, I book my own flights to come and represent Jamaica because they are very unprofessional,” explained Bailey. “You’re getting your flight details [at] 11 p.m. to travel the next day. [The Jamaican federation] doesn’t pay us. I can’t remember the last time I received a dollar from the national team. It’s very unprofessional, in ways you can’t even imagine.”

Bailey went on to say that representing Jamaica was something of a gift he felt he was giving to his country.

“Jamaica’s national team is not doing anything for me,” he charged. “Jamaica’s national team is not going to give me exposure. Playing for Jamaica is not going to make Real Madrid call me. I am shining light on the national team by playing overseas and representing as a Jamaican all the time.”

With that as the backdrop, it was something of a surprise when Hallgrímsson released his squad for the Copa América on Wednesday night and Bailey’s name was on the list.

Missing Bailey will be a major blow for the Reggae Boyz. The 26-year-old just finished an excellent campaign with Villa, tallying 14 goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper and captain Andre Blake was named to the squad despite a knee injury that appears likely to rule him out for at least some of the tournament.

Jamaica has been drawn into Group B at the Copa América, where it will face Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador.

Jamaica Copa America roster

Goalkeepers: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Jahmali Waite (El Paso Locomotive FC), Coniah Boyce-Clarke (Reading), Shaquan Davis (Mount Pleasant)

Defenders: Damion Lowe (Philadelphia Union), Michael Hector (Charlton Athletic), Amari’i Bell (Luton Town), Richard King (Cavalier), Dexter Lembikisa (Hearts), Greg Leigh (Oxford United), Di’Shon Bernard (Sheffield Wednesday), Ethan Pinnock (Brentford), Wesley Harding (Millwall), Jon Bell (Seattle Sounders)

Midfielders: Bobby Decordova-Reid (Fulham), Kevon Lambert (Real Salt Lake), Alex Marshall (Portmore United), Joel Latibeaudiere (Coventry City), Kasey Palmer (Coventry City), Karoy Anderson (Charlton Athletic).

Forwards: Shamar Nicholson (Clermont), Leon Bailey (Aston Villa), Michail Antonio (West Ham United), Demarai Gray (Al Ettifaq), Renaldo Cephas (Ankaragucu), Kaheim Dixon (Arnett Gardens).

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Jamaica federation president doesn’t inspire confidence over Leon Bailey’s return

The Aston Villa star is currently in a self-imposed exile from the national team

When will Leon Bailey decide to return to the Jamaica men’s national team?

That questions hangs over the Reggae Boyz as they prepare for a summer that will include World Cup qualifiers and the Copa América.

Jamaica would certainly like to see one of its best players end his self-imposed absence, but based on an answer from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, that may not be happening anytime soon.

“To be honest, no [we haven’t spoken],” Michael Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer. “But hopefully somehow we will make this connection and see how we can amicably settle whatever issues Leon may have.”

The issues that Bailey has were laid out in full in an explosive interview the Aston Villa star gave on the Let’s Be Honest podcast last month.

Bailey was dropped from Jamaica’s Nations Leaguie roster, as head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson suspended him over missing curfew during a November camp.

But the 26-year-old followed that suspension up by declaring that he would not be returning when he was available again.

Among the allegations Bailey made were that he had to book his own flights for international duty, players were not provided with even the basic apparel needed for training, and compensation has been nonexistent.

“[The JFF] doesn’t pay us. I can’t remember the last time I received a dollar from the national team. It’s very unprofessional, in ways you can’t even imagine,” he said.

Bailey went on to insinuate that representing Jamaica was something he did more as a favor to his country than anything else.

“Jamaica’s national team is not doing anything for me,” Bailey charged. “Jamaica’s national team is not going to give me exposure. Playing for Jamaica is not going to make Real Madrid call me. I am shining light on the national team by playing overseas and representing as a Jamaican all the time. People know Leon Bailey everywhere in the world.”

Bailey’s agent and father, Craig Butler, added to the Jamaica Observer that he is willing to speak with the JFF, but would need certain assurances in order for Bailey to return.

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Leon Bailey blasts Jamaican federation as he announces break from national team

Bailey was unsparing in his assessment of the “unprofessional” Jamaica Football Federation

Leon Bailey has declared that he will “take a break” from the Jamaican national team over issues stemming from what he called a low level of professionalism.

Ahead of the Reggae Boyz’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal against the U.S. men’s national team, the Aston Villa winger lit into the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) — long a target of criticism from players on its national teams — over basic missteps involving equipment, travel arrangements, and more.

Speaking on the Let’s Be Honest podcast, Bailey was unsparing in his criticism of the JFF.

“A lot of people don’t know that most of the time, I book my own flights to come and represent Jamaica because they are very unprofessional,” explained Bailey. “You’re getting your flight details [at] 11 p.m. to travel the next day. [The JFF] doesn’t pay us. I can’t remember the last time I received a dollar from the national team. It’s very unprofessional, in ways you can’t even imagine.”

Bailey then turned to how even being provided with team apparel to train in has been a problem.

“You’re turning up and they don’t have equipment for you. You’ll go and they’ll only have one shirt for you, and you have to find shorts,” said a bemused Bailey. “Players turn up to games and it’s a women’s shirt they print out for them to wear. It’s ridiculous and they don’t know how to operate.”

Bailey gave something of a conflicting accounting of whether he had let Jamaica know about the problems. At one point, he told host Jaii Frais he hadn’t, but later said he butts heads with the JFF in every international window.

“It’s two things I’ve always asked them for, and every time, I can’t get it. You have people booking flights for me and sending me from England to Jamaica with three different stops,” insisted Bailey. “All I ask for is a proper flight and a room by myself, and I can’t get that. If I don’t go the national team, I can go on my vacation and I can live good.”

Bailey: Jamaica’s national team ‘not doing anything for me’

Bailey wouldn’t have been available to take on the USMNT on Thursday, as head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson had suspended him over missing curfew during a November camp.

Bailey admitted that he did violate team rules, but said he took exception to how Hallgrímsson presented the news to the public.

“I did break curfew, but that’s normal. Every player does that,” said Bailey, who added that the suspension was not so much of a big deal in and of itself as it was just the last straw. “It’s just the way how it was presented that I didn’t like.

“[Hallgrímsson] did say to me that he wasn’t going to invite me to the next camp but, way before this happened, I always had it in my head that this is too much on my plate when it comes to the national team, and I was really going to take a break from it, and then [the suspension] just tipped off everything… I felt that was really harsh and it just said to me that me being in the national team right now, it really drains my energy a lot.”

Bailey won’t be alone in missing the match for Jamaica. Striker Michail Antonio withdrew from the roster for unspecified reasons, while Trivante Stewart is suspended by the team over a curfew violation last year. Ethan Pinnock and Amari’i Bell are unavailable due to injury, while Demarai Gray and Shamar Nicholson are suspended due to yellow-card accumulation.

Beyond that, the 26-year-old framed his appearances with Jamaica as a favor to the national team that he does out of pride in his country.

“Jamaica’s national team is not doing anything for me,” explained the Villa star. “Jamaica’s national team is not going to give me exposure. Playing for Jamaica is not going to make Real Madrid call me. I am shining light on the national team by playing overseas and representing as a Jamaican all the time. People know Leon Bailey everywhere in the world…

“I am Jamaican and I love my country, and hopefully one day my kids can come up and grow up in a better environment than I did. But sometimes I think about it and realize that these things were happening before I was born so, can I be the change?”

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