Nodley Wright, Staff ReporterJAMAICA'S MAY 15 friendly game against the United States in New York could see three new England-based players making their debut for Jamaica.
The three are midfielders Richard Langley and Joel 'Jobi' McAnuff as well as forward Kevin Lisbie. Technical director Carl Brown who was last year handed the job of guiding Jamaica's football into the next World Cup campaign, made the revelation during his one-week trip to the island recently.
Langley, a highly-regarded midfielder from Queens's Park Rangers, was being eyed by Clovis de Oliveira but sustained a knee injury which kept him out of football for close to a year. The 22-year-old has played two matches so far this season and has looked impressive, according to reports. McAnuff is a 20-year-old attached to Wimbledon. He is described as a promising attacker with great pace. He is a cousin of former Jamaica sprinter Nikole Mitchell.
Lisbie, 23, plays for Premiership club Charlton Athletic. He is an attacking forward/midfielder but has also played as a wingback. If the trio make their debut they will bring the number of players raised in Britain who have represented Jamaica since the arrival of Rene Simoes to 17.
Besides securing the services of these players, Brown said his attachment at Premiership club Bolton has been a success.
Things are going great," said Brown.
Brown also indicated that that his plan for Jamaica's football is not just to take Jamaica to the next World Cup in Germany 2006. He is looking at a systematic development. "There is so much that can be done for our football to grow.
"If at the end of the end of the day the way I will be judged is if the team qualifies for the next World Cup in Germany then I do not want this job (of technical director). We need to improve the infrastrsucture and we need to put a system in place wher we do not lose track of our players.
"When players are selected as teenagers something must be kept in place in to bring them through. We have a situation now where a particular player was taken to Brazil sven years ago but is only now being re-introduced to the programme," continued Brown in reference to Constant Spring midfielder Victor Samuels who was recently called to a national training squad.
