Shaw’s return uncertain as Reggae Girlz face USA, England

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw’s status remains unchanged, and her participation in the upcoming friendly matches against United States and England are uncertain, according to Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz
head coach Hubert Busby. The coach said the striker’s return will depend on fitness updates from her English Premier League club Manchester City.

Shaw is a key player for both teams, having become Manchester City women’s all-time top goalscorer and Jamaica’s top scorer in international football. Her absence would be felt, but the Reggae Girlz will definitely look to other talented players to step up against the two powerhouse teams — United States ranking number one and England at four.

The Reggae Girlz are scheduled to tackle former world champions United States on June 3 in St Louis, Missouri, and then are to face-off against 2022 European Champions and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup runners-up England on June 29 at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England.

These encounters mark a significant milestone, as it will be the first time that Jamaica will play against both United States and England in women’s international football. The Reggae Girlz are looking forward to the challenges, recognising its importance in their preparation for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in October.

The Reggae Girlz’s medical staff is in conversation with its Manchester City counterpart, but there is no update on the timeline for Shaw’s return. Busby expressed his desire to see Shaw back on the field playing soon, highlighting her importance to the team.

“Bunny is still out with her club. Nothing has changed with her status and so we will work with her club and they will update us accordingly. Most important thing for her right now is that she gets healthy,” Busby told the Jamaica Observer.

“There’s no timeline for her to be back and I think that when she is back we will know because I will be watching her and seeing how she does at Manchester City. Right now, it is our medical staff and their medical staff in conversation and there’s no update right now and we obviously wish to see her back on the field playing soon,” Busby further added.

Busby said that these friendly games will provide an opportunity for the Reggae Girlz to test their skills against top opponents, build strength, and develop character.

“It is really important that these games provide the stern tests that are needed before these qualifiers. I think not just the games but the environments are at times not necessarily as appreciated as the opponents. But when you are playing tough oppositions in sometimes hostile and uncomfortable environments that really sort of shape the group and provide the strength and the character needed for the tough games when they do count,” said Busby.

By playing tough teams in challenging environments, the Reggae Girlz can gain valuable experience and develop the resilience needed for high-stakes matches. Busby emphasised the importance of learning and growth in these friendlies.

“But I think we can’t lose the fact that the idea that we want to win every match, we want to play but these are friendly matches we can go out there and learn and take away learnings from and grow. Take away and extract the jewels of these games and things we want to learn and going forward,” Busby explained.

According to Busby, the games against United States and England are also crucial for the team’s growth and development.

“I think the growth and development of the squad is really about us having these tough games that will continue to the World Cup Qualifiers. We should not have any doubts or fears about anyone that we face because we would have already sort of gone through the gauntlet of playing all the top teams in the world in the last year,’ he said.

Busby also stated that these challenging matches will provide a clear indication of the team’s current standing and direction.

“It is a good indication for us to see where we are but, more importantly, give us a foundation to know where we are going,” he ended.