SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — For Je-Vaughn ‘Akka’ Watson it appears that his game has come full circle.

The 32-year-old attacking player came to prominence thanks to his marauding runs at defenders and his ability to unbalance defences in the local National Premier League.

However, during his five years playing in Major League Soccer with Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas and now at New England Revolution, the St Catherine native has been employed in various roles in midfield and in defence, thus blunting to some degree his natural instincts to run at defenders and create chances.

However, when the Reggae Boyz played away to Haiti in the Fourth Round CONCACAF World Cup qualifier last November, head coach Winfried Schaefer gambled with him as the second striker, and from all reports, it went well and the German coach was satisfied with what he offered.

When he Boyz lined up against Costa Rica at the National Stadium last Friday, Watson was again employed in attack just behind point man Clayton Donaldson.

And as fate would have it, the former Sporting Central Academy skipper was the man who beat Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas in the 16th minute to give the home side the lead, which they failed to secure to the end.

Now he’s relishing that role and wants to add to his seven senior Reggae Boyz strikes.

“I enjoyed that role playing there because when I played in Jamaica that’s where I used to play for Sporting Central, so I’m well familiar with that spot. I know I’m the guy who is supposed to bring the attack, I’m the guy that is supposed to start the defence and I’m good with that because I’m a guy that likes to run, all I need to do is get in good spots to help the team bring the ball forward and to squeeze the ball when they are trying to start their attacks,” Watson told the

Jamaica Observer here in San Jose yesterday.

The Garvey Maceo High School alumnus is not renowned for his goalscoring exploits, having scored just one in 48 appearances for Houston and six in 78 outings for FC Dallas. He is upbeat and ready for today’s challenge.

“I’m up for the challenge because playing there in the first game and getting a goal gives me the confidence to get into the box and to get on the end of plays and to run forward and behind, so tomorrow (today) it should be no different than what I did in Kingston,” he said.

Watson said his job is to try to combine with the wide players and the striker, as well as midfielders, so now it is for the players to go out there and put their best foot forward and try to win the game.

Last Friday striker Clayton Donaldson held off his markers while keeping possession of the ball well and all the time trying to involve players around him. Watson was found drifting deep into midfield at times and has acknowledged that error but still found time to express his appreciation to the big Birmingham City striker for helping the team’s fluidity in attack, as well as his selfless work ethic.

“I like to play off Donaldson because I know he’s strong and can hold the ball up, no matter how big thedefender is, he can keep the ball, so all I have to do is get into good spots so when he gets the ball he can pass to me and I can link with the wide players and we can build the attack,” said Watson, who started his international career in 2008.

— Ian Burnett