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Lightbourne undecided on captain

Bermuda coach Kyle Lightbourne

Kyle Lightbourne, the Bermuda coach, is still weighing up his options to find a temporary replacement for regular captain Danté Leverock.Bermuda’s 18-man squad arrived in Jamaica yesterday before their friendly against the “Reggae Boyz” tomorrow at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.Leverock, who signed for Polish second-tier outfit Radomiak Radom last month, is unavailable for the match.“We are probably most likely looking at one of the senior players to lead the team,” Lightbourne said. “We haven’t quite decided on that as of yet. I will wait a little longer because we are still waiting on a couple of players to arrive.”Bermuda are also without overseas professionals Nahki Wells, of Bristol City, Spennymoor Town goalkeeper Dale Eve, Darlington’s Justin Donawa, and Kidderminster Harriers’ Milan Butterfield.However, Lightbourne has been able to secure the services of three professionals in striker Jonté Smith, of Cheltenham Town, and midfielders Reggie Lambe, of Cambridge United, and Willie Clemons, who plays his football in Sweden with Dalkurd.Smith made his first appearance of the year for Cheltenham in their 2-0 victory away to promotion rivals Colchester United in the Sky Bet League on February 29. The 25-year-old striker came on as a second-half substitute to complete his comeback from a throat infection.“I know Jonté has been sick overseas and is just getting back into it,” Lightbourne said. “We will monitor him and speak to him and see how many minutes he could possibly go.”Among those earning their first call to senior national duty are Tahzeiko Harris, Jomei Bean-Lindo and goalkeeper Coleridge Fubler.“This tour is a great opportunity for some youngsters to get some experience being with the senior team for the first time,” Lightbourne said. “It’s an opportunity for guys to get minutes and also gives us as an opportunity to look at a couple of guys.”Michael Ricketts, the Jamaica Football Federation president, has confirmed that their squad will comprise local-based players. The match will serve as ideal preparation for Bermuda’s upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup qualifiers, as well as the resumption of the Nations League this year.Bermuda reached the Gold Cup for the first time after finishing fifth in the competition’s qualifiers and recorded an historic 2-0 win over Nicaragua at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.They were relegated from League A of the Nations League in November last year after suffering a last-minute 2-1 defeat away to Mexico in the final group game. Lightbourne’s team will now face the winners between Bahamas and French Guiana in a home-and-away series in June for a place at the Gold Cup next year, to be held at a venue yet to be confirmed. Bermuda lost 3-2 to Jamaica, who are ranked 48th in the world, 120 positions above them in 168th, in Kingston in a Caribbean Cup qualifier in the previous meeting between the two nations in 1997.