MARC STAMP, STAR Writer

JAMAICA men's senior team football manager, Roy Simpson, says the commitment showed by the players during the recent Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments was genuine and may have made all the difference.

The Reggae Boyz suffered 1-0 losses to South American giants Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay during the group stage of the Copa America in June.

Last month, the Jamaicans went down 3-1 to CONCACAF kingpins Mexico in the Gold Cup final.

They were unbeaten at the group stage. They beat Haiti 1-0 in the quarter-finals and USA in the semi-finals, for the first time in the USA.

In December, the Boyz won the Caribbean title.

The team has players born in other countries and their commitment is often questioned.

However, Simpson is convinced that they are dedicated to the programme.

"Most of these England-based players are connected to Jamaica through grandparents or parents who left Jamaica in order to better their lives and it is from their migration to the UK that even their remittances come back to Jamaica," Simpson told STAR Sports.

"I remember when we were seeking a document for Giles Barnes and went to Lambs River in Trelawny, the people were excited and when he played against Venezuela, they came out in support," he said.

"It looks from the naked eye that the players are not committed to Jamaica's football, but when you look at the strong family connection of the players, you can see that the players are from families with poor background. And, to want to represent Jamaica has shown commitment," Simpson, who has been Reggae Boyz manager since 2008, said.

"In the past, players born outside of Jamaica have shown commitment, but more cosmetic. The current players have demonstrated that they are committed to the programme. They want to represent Jamaica and do well," he continued.

The next move for the Reggae Boyz will be 2018 World Cup qualification. That begins with a home and away series against Nicaragua, the first leg on September 4 in Jamaica and away four days later.

"I am sure that the players are serious about getting to the World Cup. They are ready for the challenge ahead," Simpson said.