Reggae Boyz must do well in June, says ‘Stew Peas’

Reggae Boy defender Damion ‘Stew Peas’ Stewart is harbouring no illusions.

“Now is the do or die moment for us,” is his assessment of next month’s crucial eight-day, three-game test for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in their quest to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil.

On June 4 the Boyz welcome regional powerhouse Mexico to the National Stadium for their return-leg game. Three days later the US come calling at the same venue for another 8:30 pm encounter, and on June 11 the Boyz take on Honduras at the Tiburcio Carias Olympic Stadium in Tegucigalpa.

The Boyz are currently rooted at the bottom of the Hexagonal on two points, but just three points adrift of leaders Panama, who are followed by Costa Rica, USA and Honduras on four points, with the other winless team Mexico on three points. Each team has played three games.

“If we don’t amass at least five points from these three games we can call it doom or done,” Stewart told the Sunday Observer via telephone from Malaysia last Tuesday, where he now plies his skills in the Malaysian Super League with Pahang FC after eight years with English clubs.

“We need to win at least one of our home games and draw the other and take whatever comes from the away game, but we really need to dominate at home because that’s where every team is looking its points at the moment. We need to make our home ground ‘The Office’ once again where no one comes and gets anything,” he added.

The top three teams gain automatic berths to Brazil, while the fourth-placed team enters a two-way, home-and-away tie with the winner of the Oceania regional for a last crack at a berth to Brazil.

Stewart was a non-playing member of the 23-man squad which crafted a historic 0-0 result at the much vaunted Azteca Stadium in February, but was omitted from the squads for games at home to Panama and away to Costa Rica at the end of March because he was not actively playing with a club.

“I was always in competitive shape because I’m a professional player, who has to keep myself in shape for anything at any time, but I just think it was a communication barrier,” explained the 32-year-old Stewart.

“It is not that I couldn’t find a team in England, I could have (signed a new contract) with Notts County or another team, but in my heart I wanted to leave England, so I was just waiting on the right option to get out because I wasn’t enjoying football again in England.

“I have accepted that and for me it is now in the past and I’m just ready to move on and if I’m called upon I’m always ready to represent my country,” he said.

Since April, Stewart has signed a one-year deal with Malaysian Super League outfit Pahang FC and he says he’s enjoying every minute of it, as the Asian market had been a target of his for some time.

“From I was playing in England I always said to my friends that towards the end of my career I want to tour in Asia, being that it is a market that I think Jamaican players can explore, so I wanted to come over here and try to open gates for other players from Jamaica.

“I know that there are good players in Jamaica who can come over here and play, so that was my main reason to come this side of the world,” he said.

He told the Observer that the journey has been rewarding so far, having won three games, drawn one and lost one in five outings for his new club.

And he’s happy with the responsibilities he has been given, as one of two foreign players each club is allowed.

“Basically each team is allowed two foreign players, so for me I find over here even harder in some ways than in England, because they are allowed to sign only two foreign players and the clubs ask a lot from these foreign players,” he explained.

“They demand a lot … they look to these players to lead and share experience and guide them, and it is like sometimes I’m here and I’m playing and I feel like I’m the coach on the field.

“The coach allows me to organise and make sure everything runs smoothly on the pitch, and it is something that I enjoy, I’m not even going to lie to you, because I’m naturally a talker on the pitch, so it comes easily for me,” he said.

Stewart noted that the standard of play is fair, the players tend to be very quick, and the clubs spend heavily on foreign players.

“The standard is challenging because being in England you are used to playing just one style of football, very aggressive and challenging, but now you are up against smaller players with quickness and guile, so I have to be readjusting my game, so it is like playing in Jamaica, but the standard is better,” he said.

Though he has only signed a one-year deal, Stewart hopes to be staying in that side of the world for some time yet.

“Right now I’m in Malaysia and I don’t know where I could end up next season, but anywhere I end up that is it because I’m open-minded about touring Asia, to be honest.”

The former Harbour View stalwart and Ardenne High School ‘Manning Cupper’ revealed that the link was made with Pahang by a friend of his who was a teammate at Queens Park Rovers. The latter is currently playing in Hong Kong, Stewart said.

“I was telling him that I wanted to come to that side of the world, so he passed on my information to an agent, who contacted Pahang, who invited me out here and that’s how it happened,” he said.

Stewart described Pahang as the third largest state in Malaysia. The club was promoted from the Premier League to the Super League last year. They are currently fifth in the 12-team league on 24 points, seven adrift of the leaders Singapore LIONSXII.

But having moved on with his career in Asia, Stewart is grateful for the opportunity to have spent eight years (2005 through 2013) in the English Leagues.

“My time in England I enjoyed it; it was a learning experience for me and it is something I would like to pass on to others, but at the same time England is a place like this, when you reach a certain age and you are not English, I think they start to look at you differently…

“If I was at QPR, like I did for four years, I could have continued my career there, but when you leave and go somewhere else and things are not the best they tend to look at the new signees and try to put the blame on them, and in some cases you didn’t even get a chance to prove yourself,” he explained.

Stewart started his English career at Bradford City, then moved on to QPR before joining Bristol City for two years. He ended with a year at Notts County.

“I was at Bristol City for two years and I played a matter of 25 games which is unlike me, because I am always on the pitch normally, but in football in England it is a hard place to survive, because when your face doesn’t fit, your face doesn’t fit.

“I went to Bristol City and the manager who signed me, Steve Coppell, he resigned after two weeks, so basically after that I was left there like an outcast trying to prove myself and get along, but it didn’t work out and I give God thanks that I was able to exit, and we have to move on from that, as we can’t dwell on the past, as I always say ‘forward ever backward never’.”

But during his time away from the national set-up over the past two World Cup Qualifiers, Stewart noted that he’s always kept abreast of what was happening.

“I am a Jamaican by heart and a very patriotic one, so whether I’m playing, yes or no, I’m always supporting my country. I was in England at the time of the second game (against Panama), so I stayed up late to watch the game. The third game I was here, so I watched it online, but really now we just have to stick together – the entire country, the federation and the players – stick together and believe in each other, believe in the coach and whatever 11 he puts out there.

“Just cheer on the Boyz. I think it (qualification for the World Cup) is possible … if not the first three automatic places, then even fourth place. I think New Zealand is beatable if we get fourth place in the Hexagonal,” he said.

Regarding the local scene, though now residing nearly half a world away, Stewart was happy with the success of the club he once led to the Premier League title, Harbour View.

“I’m very proud of my old club, and I think today (last Tuesday) is the coach Vin Blaine’s birthday and I did write him a message on his Facebook page and congratulated him on the title success, so I do keep track of what is happening there and I’m Harbour View by heart as well, so I’m really proud and there’s bragging rights again, so I’m on top of the world at the moment,” he said.

Damion Stewart (#4) challenges for the ball in a Malaysian Super League game recently.

Stewart soars high for a header towards goal in a Malaysian Super League match for Pahang FC.