Argentine cameo boosts Johnson’s confidence
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — He only played for three minutes and probably had just one touch of the ball, but for Manchester High schoolboy Jason Johnson — making his international debut for the senior Reggae Boyz against the mighty Argentines in Argentina — it was a “dream come true”.
And while he was not happy that they lost the game 1-2, after leading 1-0 up the 84th minute, Johnson said playing in that game meant “a lot” to him.
“… It means a lot to me to be a part of the national senior team… to be the only schoolboy. I know that a lot of youngsters would like to be in my position right now, so it’s a great feeling knowing that it’s my dream coming true as well, ” he said.
The 19-year-old striker who plays for Mile Gully FC in the Captain’s Bakery Manchester Major League, recounted the moment when he was summoned by coach Theodore Whitmore to replace Omar Cummings in the 90th minute. For him, it was a shocker.
“I didn’t realise until he (Whitmore) called me for the change. I was really surprised… nervous at first, but when I stepped on the field I notice that it was no different from playing with my own teammates,” he said.
The young man who started his playing days at Knox College before moving to Manchester High where he is currently a sixth-former, said those three minutes will stay with him for years to come.
Johnson was the only one of several schoolboys invited to train with the national senior squad who made the trip to South America. His Manchester teammate Romena Bowie was also called to the previous camp, but did not make the final cut.
Reflecting on the time spent with the other players in the camp, Johnson said he was treated as an equal by everyone.
“It was no different, they treated me the same… the rapport was good. We played games (together); we laughed… even at training. I wasn’t treated any less than the other guys,” said Johnson.
“Even when I just got picked as the only schoolboy, all of the staff congratulated me and told me that being humble and working hard does pay off.”
But, perhaps the single moment that stands out in his mind was a pep-talk he received from senior player Wolry Wolf.
“… One day I was in training, but I wasn’t performing that well and he saw that I could do better and he took me aside and told me to have more confidence and work hard. To me, I can see that the players saw the talent in me,” he added.
Achieving all this at such a tender age, ‘JJ’, as he is called by his peers, said his confidence is sky-high.
“Right now I feel like I can play with (Lionel) Messi and all those guys; that’s where my confidence is”, said Johnson, who was the second highest scorer in the rural area daCosta Cup competition with 20 strikes last season.
His performance was bettered only by good friend Desharn Brown (26) of champions St Elizabeth Technical High School.
In the sleepy community of Happy News in Alexandria, St Ann where he is from, the expectation is the same. “Everybody wants to talk to me… they’re encouraging me to continue doing my best”, he told Sporting World on Monday night at Manchester High School where he and four other youth players were honoured by the Manchester Football Association.
So in love with sport is Johnson that the lad has even decided that a career in physiotherapy is what he wants. He is subsequently thinking of taking up a scholarship offer in the United States.