Omar Daley has received a pat on the back from one of England’s best wingers.

John Barnes is just over a month into his new job as Jamaica’s national coach and he is already keeping close tabs on how Daley is doing at Valley Parade.

Barnes used a locally-based squad to win the Digicel Cup in the Caribbean but he will bring back the big-hitters for international friendlies later this season.

And Daley is hopeful of being one of them.

The City flyer revealed that Barnes had been in touch when he first took the helm.

Daley said: “John Barnes spoke to me when I was in Jamaica and said how he was pleased with my performances. He just told me to keep going and said he was looking forward to working with me.

“I think we can look ahead to the future positively even though we are out of the World Cup. With the way that he used to play, I’m hoping we will be more attacking and free-flowing in our football, which is what we do best.

“We’ve got naturally quick players so hopefully the new coach will use that and we can go out and express ourselves.”

Daley was suspended for the final qualifier against Canada last month. Jamaica ran out 3-0 winners, their third victory on the bounce, but were still eliminated on goal difference behind Honduras and Mexico.

Daley added: “It’s frustrating for the nation because we have got a good team. But that’s life and you just have to move on and look forward to a new beginning.

“It is a transition time now with John Barnes coming in but I think he will be good for Jamaican football.”

Daley is likely to get the chance to impress Barnes in friendlies pencilled in for March and April, although Jamaica may struggle to attract quality opponents.

Barnes said: “At the moment there are three definite FIFA friendly dates where we will be getting together to face a few oppositions. We have no matches organised yet, but we have those dates, so it’s a question of getting quality opposition.

“The problem we may have is that the March and April dates are also World Cup qualifying dates, so a lot of the European, CONCACAF and African teams will be involved in those.”