KINGSTON, June 17: Former England and Liverpool striker John Barnes is being considered for a coaching position with Jamaica to help lift the Caribbean island's struggling soccer program.

“We are talking with several people to upgrade the technical aspect of the program and John is one of them,” Jamaica Football Federation president Crenston Boxhill said on Friday.

The Reggae Boyz have competed in few internationals over the past year.

Their last matches, against World Cup teams Ghana and England this month, ended in humbling defeats.

Barnes, 43, was born in Jamaica but moved to Britain as a teenager. He played for Watford and Liverpool.

He was capped 79 times for England, and played in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups.

Barnes had an unsuccessful eight-month stint as coach of Scottish team Celtic in 2000.—AP