KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson, a crowd favourite in Jamaica, has been included in the Reggae Boyz squad named by head coach Winfried Schafer to face Panama away in a crucial World Cup qualifier on Friday.

Anderson, the Red Stripe Premier League golden boot winner, now gets his opportunity after Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore refused to include the irrepressible striker in Jamaica’s past World Cup qualifying matches.

Tuffy last played for Jamaica during the Caribbean Cup last December in Antigua when the Boyz were eliminated.

His omission from World Cup qualifying matches spurred protests from angry fans in St James, Clarendon and Kingston earlier this year.

Other players included in Schafer’s 25-man squad due to depart the island for Panama City on Thursday are goalkeepers — Donovan Ricketts, Richard McCallum, Gariece McPherson; defenders — Wes Morgan, Lloyd Doyley, Daniel Gordon, Alvas Powell, Shaun Cummings, Jermaine Taylor, O’Brian Woodbine, Adrian Mariappa and Kemar Lawrence; Midfielders — Rudolph Austin, Marvin Elliott, Jermaine Johnson, Joel McAnuff, Garath McCleary and Chris Humphrey; Forwards — Theo Robinson, Luton Shelton, Jermaine Beckford, Darren Mattocks, Ryan Johnson and Marlon King .

Goalkeeper McCallum was a late replacement for the injured Dwayne Miller, the regular number two to captain Ricketts.

— Sean Williams