Rookie for Argentina
Manchester High schoolboy Jason Johnson is the only newcomer who will be travelling with Reggae Boyz 18-man squad today to face Argentina on Wednesday in an international friendly in Mar del Plata.
Midfielder Johnson, 19, was also a part of the training camp in preparation for last Sunday’s Canada game, but was not selected in the final 20-man squad. But at the team’s final training session at Winchester Park last night, the home of St George’s College, the teenager’s luck changed.
“We have most of our homegrown players added to the squad and we will be taking young Jason Johnson. He is the only one (schoolboy) included,” said head coach Theodore Whitmore after a two-hour practice session.
Another promising player, Kenardo Forbes of Waterhouse — who made his debut against Canada last Sunday — was omitted. “We wanted to take Kenardo Forbes, but he had some visa issues,” said Whitmore.
The team had a lively training session before departing for Argentina via Miami and coach Whitmore was pleased with what he saw. “I am very pleased with the training session. We are going to Argentina to give a good performance,” said Jamaica’s two-goal hero at the France 1998 World Cup Finals.
The last time Jamaica played Argentina was in that World Cup where the Reggae Boyz lost 0-5.
“Things and times have changed. Football have gone a far way and we are not thinking about the past, we are thinking about the future,” said Whitmore.
“This is football, just imagine the first time we played Brazil, everyone was telling us that we are going to get six and with all of that it was a 0-0 draw. That is football,” he added.
Top defender Shavar Thomas, Demar Stewart and striker Omar Cummings sat out training after nursing minor injuries, but should be ready for the match come Wednesday.
Squad — Duwayne Kerr, Dwayne Miller, Ryan Johnson, Dane Richards, Rodolph Austin, Demar Stewart, Shavar Thomas, Omar Cummings, Navion Boyd, Keammar Daley, Jermaine Taylor, Dicoy Williams, Adrian Reid, Lovel Palmer, Richard Edwards, Devon Hodges, JeVaughn Watson, and Jason Johnson.