Gordon excited over T&T appointment

Former Reggae Boyz assistant coach Merron Gordon is excited about his future prospects following his appointment as an assistant coach with the Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) men’s national team.

Gordon joined T&T’s coaching staff ahead of their Concacaf Nations League encounter against Haiti at Sabina Park tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.

His appointment, he said, was far from coincidental.

“Coach Derek [King] made a recommendation to the TTFA [Trinidad and Tobago Football Association], and it was well received. He wanted me to come and help with a few stuff ... some tactical stuff, analytical work,” Gordon said.

“Coach Derek and I, we started our pro-licence together. He’s a good friend of mine. I’m doing something for him that I know he’d probably do for me if I were in his position. It’s always a privilege,” the experienced coach added.

King welcomed Gordon’s appointment.

“Well, you know, Merron and I go way back, and Merron has been around Jamaica’s national team for quite some time. He has played against Haiti ... We have played in Jamaica. So I think he will add that quality to our staff, bring a different eye to the game,” the T&T head coach said.

Gordon now believes that he is the first Jamaica-born coach to serve on Trinidad and Tobago’s senior national coaching staff.

“I think probably I’m the first Jamaican to probably coach at this level with Trinidad as far as I can remember and based on what most people from Trinidad have said to me.”

Former Reggae Boyz head coach Brazilian Rene Simoes briefly coached T&T from 2001 to 2002, a few years after guiding Jamaica to the 1998 World Cup in France.

While noting that he has the blessing of his former employers, Gordon is excited about the opportunities ahead following his appointment.

“The country has invested in me over the years. I think this is a good step for me to step outside of Jamaica to coach. And hopefully, probably one day, I might come back here or go somewhere else,” Gordon reasoned.

“The first person I called after receiving a call from the federation was my president because I have a lot of respect for Mr [Michael] Ricketts, and I told him about the situation, and he gave me his blessing,” Gordon added, noting that there’s “no animosity, there’s no bad blood, it’s just football.”

Gordon previously served as assistant national coach under four different Reggae Boyz head coaches.

He served as assistant coach to Theodore Whitmore during the 2021-22 period before continuing in the role under Paul Hall in 2022.

He was also appointed assistant to Heimir Hallgrímsson from 2022 to 2024 as well as Englishman Steve McClaren from October 2024 to November 2025.

jeremain.brown@rjrgleaner.com