John Barnes rumored to coach Tranmere Rovers

[Bayos]

FORMER LIVERPOOL and England winger John Barnes is set to be named Tranmere Rovers boss this week. Barnes, now managing Jamaica, has been approached by Prenton Park chairman Peter Johnson to replace sacked Ronnie Moore. He will be joined as an assistant on Merseyside by ex-Kop team-mate Jason McAteer. Barnes, 45, had a stint as Celtic boss in 1999.

[Dunny]

Whitmore replaces Barnes as Boyz head coach

Howard Walker
Monday, June 08, 2009
A disappointed John Barnes has been replaced by Theodore Whitmore as head coach after his seven-month contract was not renewed by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), it was announced after Jamaica's 3-2 win over Panama at the National Stadium last night.
Reggae Boy coach John Barnes (left) congratulates Keammar Daley after the latter scored Jamaica's winning goal against Panama in their friendly international at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won 3-2. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Barnes, 45, who took over the coaching reins on November 1, 2008, will instead be moving on to English League One outfit Tranmere Rovers.
His contract with Tranmere will start in July and Barnes was visibly upset that his contract with the Jamaica Football Federation wasn't extended to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Said Barnes: "Yes, I am disappointed that I would not be going to the Gold Cup because I could have started the contract (with Tranmere) after the
Gold Cup."
"But I fully accept and understand the JFF decision that they will appoint Theodore, as of now, to give him a chance to experience football at the highest level.
"I have to thank the JFF for giving me an opportunity in doing something I love. It is something I wanted to get involved with for a long time and they gave me that opportunity," Barnes added.
The JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, made the announcement after the game last night and wished Barnes all the best.
Said Burrell: "Our contract with Coach Barnes expires at the end of June, which is in another couple of days from now. Naturally, Coach Barnes has to be looking around, and I am very pleased that Barnes has indeed landed a contract at Tranmere Rovers in England.
"As a result of this, the JFF has immediately appointed Theodore Whitmore as head coach of the Reggae Boyz team, and this will go for one year," said Burrell.
Whitmore was not at the press conference and Barnes wished him all the best saying he knew he would do a very good job.
The former Liverpool and England winger will start preseason training with Tranmere Rovers, the current club of Reggae Boy Ian 'Pepe' Goodison and a former club of Whitmore.
Barnes, who took over the coaching reins from interim coach Whitmore in November after Brazilian Rene Simoes was fired, led the team unbeaten to winning the Digicel Caribbean Cup in December.
He finished his first national coaching job with a winning record of five wins and four draws.

[Dunny]

Well deserved break for Barnsey,nice job close to his home in Livepool.This should open up some opportunities for more Jamaicans to go and play at Tranmere.Pepe Goodison and Tappa Whitmore are already legends there.

[Gamma]

i thought his mandate was the gold cup?

good luck to barnes he did a wonderful job during his stint. unbeaten i think.

[Hortical]

Twas a surprise to me as well, and maybe JFF thought his head was not in the right place and sought to end the contract once it became known he would be the head coach at Tranmere.

Once you are the head coach of Jamaica, you need to be completely focused on Jamaica and not pursing other coaching interests elsewhere.

[Bricktop]

Once you are the head coach of Jamaica, you need to be completely focused on Jamaica and not pursing other coaching interests elsewhere.

And when yuh contract is up in a couple months and dem don't renew what yuh do then?

[Hortical]

Go back to his football pundit job on telly.

[Dunny]

John Barnes as done what any sensible human being would've done,he had to look for alternative employment because is contract with the JFF was short term.I dont think the JFF could've afforded to keep him so i think it as worked out well for Barnes,Tappa and the JFF.

[Bricktop]

The man wants to be a football coach. If the JFF is non-committal regarding his future with the organisation then he has every right to to interview for another job.

[Jangle]

I hope that the JFF will pay Tappa the same money that they were paying JB....and on time.

[Hortical]

That would be unlikely fi the JFF fi do that. Tappa's market value is much less than JB's and that nuh have nuttin fi do with the capabilities of Tappa.

[Karl]

Twas a surprise to me as well, and maybe JFF thought his head was not in the right place and sought to end the contract once it became known he would be the head coach at Tranmere.

Once you are the head coach of Jamaica, you need to be completely focused on Jamaica and not pursing other coaching interests elsewhere.

Just like Gus Hiddick with Chelsea and Russia...head in one place...
Ahem????

[Dunny]

I think they shoud've waited til after the Gold cup,that would've been a smoother transition.

[Jangle]

JB has to get back to England ASAP to speak with the directors of Tranmere and go over plans for the new season. The Gold Cup will cut into his pre-season training time. Plus, after just recently working with and getting to know our local players on a more personal basis, look out for one or two making their moves to England.

[Mosiah]

Nutten nuh go suh!