There have been a lot of suggestions that Mason Greenwood intends to play for Jamaica on the international stage – but it is now clear that work is underway to make it reality with help from a significant Manchester United connection.
Mason Greenwood has already met some crossroads in his early football career.
The young forward opted to take up the opportunity at Marseille once it became evident that Manchester United would not be welcoming the one-time England international back into the fold.
The 23-year-old is enjoying his first season in France with 16 goals across all competitions so far, meaning that it has become a success story for Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi.
Marseille are currently trailing Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain by six points, but they’re also two points better off than Ineos-owned Nice.
Greenwood has been trying to resurrect his career in France and he has pushed for another opportunity on the international stage despite former England manager Gareth Southgate having played down the possibility of a recall.
Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images
Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images
Steve McClaren has confidence in Mason Greenwood
The FA chief executive Mark Bullingham confirmed recently that Greenwood has said he intends to switch allegiances to Jamaica, which would see him form a reunion with former Manchester United coach Steve McClaren.
McClaren had spent two years as assistant to Erik ten Hag, playing a key role in the staff behind our FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs at Wembley, having served as an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson in an earlier spell at Old Trafford that brought more success from the Treble-winning 1999 season to 2001.
More United News
In August 2024, McClaren was appointed Jamaica manager and there have been questions ever since over Greenwood’s desire to commit to the Raggae Boyz, with the Jamaican Football Federation still to receive the required documents to complete the process.
Former United assistant McClaren has kept the door open for Greenwood and remains “very confident” that everything will fall together.
“We are in contact all the time, with him [Greenwood] and his family,” McClaren said, as quoted by BBC Sport. “I am very confident he only wants to play for Jamaica. It is up to him when he moves forward with that. The ball is in his court.”
McClaren will be hoping Jamaica can get all of the required documents processed in time for their upcoming friendlies in the UK before they kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign in June.
Roberto De Zerbi pulls no punches with Mason Greenwood criticism
After being dropped for last week’s defeat to Lens, Greenwood received criticism from his manager De Zerbi for lacking consistency and showing poor levels in training.
Greenwood did come off the bench at half-time during the 1-0 loss, but his omission from the starting line-up raised eyebrows.
De Zerbi said, as per Manchester Evening News: “I wanted him here, I said it over and over again. He was the first player I contacted, even before I signed for OM.
“I had already spoken to his father. No one can have more respect for him than I do. But that doesn’t change anything: I expect more from him.
“He has to do more, because what he is currently showing is not enough. If he wants to achieve his ambition of becoming a champion, he has to be more consistent, sacrifice more and be more determined.
“Otherwise, we as a team always fall back into the same pattern: a very good match, then a defeat at Auxerre, then a victory against Nantes… It’s too irregular, it’s like waves. And that’s something I don’t like.”