MONTEGO BAY, St James — Former national goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence has joined calls for top local striker Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson to be given a chance to prove his worth with the Reggae Boyz.

Anderson has led the Red Stripe Premier League in s coring in the last two seasons, but except for the Caribbean Football Union’s championships last year where the Jamaican team failed to make it to the semi-finals, has not received the expected invitation from the national coaching panel led by head coach Theodore Whitmore.

Lawrence, who started in goal for the Jamaican team that beat Japan 2-1 in the France 1998 campaign, told the Jamaica Observer that Waterhouse striker “should get the chance to prove himself… even on the bench for his efforts”.

The goalkeeper, who played in national colours for nearly 20 years, admitted that Anderson’s age could be mitigating factor against him receiving the national call-up and picking up overseas contracts, but said he had done well in the local leagues and that should at least keep him in the awareness of the national team coaches.

Anderson’s exclusion sparked two public protests last week, one in Kingston and another in Montego Bay, starting at his community of Granville, prior to the CONCACAF Finals game against Mexico at the National Stadium last Tuesday.