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NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER SQUAD
JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz will meet Canada in a crucial CONCACAF semi-final round World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium tomorrow. The following are profiles of some of the players who will be in action in the game which is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. at the National Stadium.
TYRONE MARSHALL
Since his debut in 2000, Tyrone Marshall has become one of the most important players in the Jamaican team. Capable of playing almost anywhere in defence or midfield, the challenge is often to find the position where he serves the team best.
He has featured at left wingback, right wingback, as a central defender and at central midfield. What is particularly refreshing about him is his professionalism and commitment to the national cause. Marshall, who plays in the MLS for Toronto FC after a successful spell with the LA Galaxy, is a former St. George's College, Manning Cup representative for which he played in a more attacking role.
One of Tyrone's greatest moments in the national colours was a fantastic strike against Caribbean arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago in Jamaica's first game of the final round of qualifying for Korea/Japan at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Months shy of his 34th birthday, Marshall, whose father Cornell also played for Jamaica, could be involved in qualifiers for his third and final World Cup.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: November 12, 1974
POSITION: Defender/Midfielder
CAPS: 65
GOALS: 3
DEBUT: May 17, 2000 against Romania
CURRENT CLUB: Toronto
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Miami Fusion, (MLS, USA,) Colorado Rapids (MLS, USA), LA Galaxy
CLAUDE DAVIS
Claude Davis is a mountain of a man similar in stature and style to his long-time defensive partner Damion Stewart with whom he has progressed through the different age group teams into the national team. He is a decent tackler and is very good in the air.
For a long time he was viewed as the natural successor to the veteran Ian Goodison as the rock of the Jamaican defence. He went some way in justifying the expectation placed in him and could learn even more from the lion-hearted veteran.
In the past he was more impulsive and known to make rash challenges. His sojourn in the UK has matured him somewhat.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: March 6, 1979
HEIGHT: 6ft. 3in
POSITION: Defender
CAPS: 53
GOALS: 2
DEBUT: 1999
CURRENT CLUB: Derby County
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Portmore United, Preston North End, Sheffield United
DEMAR STEWART
Demar Sewart is a powerfully-built six-footer who plays in central defence. Stewart has progressed through the country's youth programme representing the country at the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels before graduating to the senior team. The former Jamaica College Manning Cupper has followed in the footsteps of his elder brother, Damion "Stew Peas" Stewart, fellow central defender, who stood out for Ardenne High School in the Manning Cup competition and took a similar path to the national team.
Demar appears to be growing out of the shadow of his elder brother and may even be eclipsing him. Recently he has been the preferred Stewart in the national squad.
The man who started his club career at Bull Bay under the guidance of former national defender Barrington "Cobra" Gaynor, shows a fearlessness in pursuing his dream of making a living from his passion. He is the first and only Jamaican plying his trade in China where he turns out for the Chengdu team following a stint in the Belgian lower leagues with Royal White Star.
FACT FILE
NAME: Demar Stewart
Date of birth: December 15, 1984
POSITION: defender
CAPS: 8
GOALS: none
CURRENT CLUB: Chengdu
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Bull Bay, Portmore United, Royal White Star (Belgium)
OMAR DALEY
A tireless worker, Omar Daley is a utility player who has figured in a number of roles for the Jamaica team in both the Under-20 and the national senior teams. As a central midfielder he played a key role in Jamaica's advancement to the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina in 2001.
Quick and strong with a good shot out of his right foot and a reasonable one with the left, Daley is best when attacking though he has been used as a right wingback and defensive midfielder. This aggressive player sometimes allows himself to get foolish yellow cards as he has yet to see a tackle to back out of.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: April 25, 1981
POSITION: Midfielder/wingback
CAPS: 45
GOALS: 9
CURRENT CLUB: Bradford City (England Div II)
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Preston North End, Reading, Portmore United, ValuP (St Elizabeth Division I), Central Strikers and Israel (Clarendon Division I)
ACHIEVEMENTS: Member of Jamaica's Under-20 team, which qualified for the World Championship in Argentina 2001.
JERMAINE JOHNSON
The moment Jermaine Johnson was spotted playing for Jamaica's Under-20 team in his signature white, he was marked as special. Quick and with an explosive change of pace and mind-boggling dribbling skills, Johnson has the ability to go by defenders at will.
His skills earned him the distinction of being the first Jamaican to be signed directly into the English Premier League when he joined Ricardo Gardner at Bolton Wanderers. He started out brightly with an impressive game against Arsenal but did not display the kind of consistency required to excel at that level and was loaned out before returning home. A couple of chances later in the UK and he is rebuilding his career.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: June 25, 1980
POSITION: Winger/Midfielder
CAPS: 53
GOALS: 5
CURRENT CLUB: Sheffield Wednesday
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Tivoli Gardens, Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic, Bradford City
SHAVAR THOMAS
Shavar Thomas was groomed to become the automatic successor to Durrent "Tatty" Brown, Jamaica's last classy sweeper, but is still to cement his place almost 10 years after making his debut as a teenager. A natural leader, Thomas has represented the country at all official age group levels and has always commanded the respect of his peers but appears to struggle to get the same from successive head coaches.
He was recalled for the current campaign ahead of the first Mexico encounter and has maintained a place in the squad under interim coach Theodore Whitmore.
FACT FILE
NAME: Shavar Thomas
DATE OF BIRTH: January 21, 1981
HEIGHT: 6ft 1in
POSITION: Sweeper
CAPS: 17
GOALS: 0
CURRENT CLUB: Chivas USA
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Hazard FC, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy. ACHIEVEMENTS: Captained Jamaica's team to the Under-20 World Championships in Argentina in 2001.
JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz will meet Canada in a crucial CONCACAF semi-final round World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium tomorrow. The following are profiles of some of the players who will be in action in the game which is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. at the National Stadium.
TYRONE MARSHALL
Since his debut in 2000, Tyrone Marshall has become one of the most important players in the Jamaican team. Capable of playing almost anywhere in defence or midfield, the challenge is often to find the position where he serves the team best.
He has featured at left wingback, right wingback, as a central defender and at central midfield. What is particularly refreshing about him is his professionalism and commitment to the national cause. Marshall, who plays in the MLS for Toronto FC after a successful spell with the LA Galaxy, is a former St. George's College, Manning Cup representative for which he played in a more attacking role.
One of Tyrone's greatest moments in the national colours was a fantastic strike against Caribbean arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago in Jamaica's first game of the final round of qualifying for Korea/Japan at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Months shy of his 34th birthday, Marshall, whose father Cornell also played for Jamaica, could be involved in qualifiers for his third and final World Cup.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: November 12, 1974
POSITION: Defender/Midfielder
CAPS: 65
GOALS: 3
DEBUT: May 17, 2000 against Romania
CURRENT CLUB: Toronto
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Miami Fusion, (MLS, USA,) Colorado Rapids (MLS, USA), LA Galaxy
CLAUDE DAVIS
Claude Davis is a mountain of a man similar in stature and style to his long-time defensive partner Damion Stewart with whom he has progressed through the different age group teams into the national team. He is a decent tackler and is very good in the air.
For a long time he was viewed as the natural successor to the veteran Ian Goodison as the rock of the Jamaican defence. He went some way in justifying the expectation placed in him and could learn even more from the lion-hearted veteran.
In the past he was more impulsive and known to make rash challenges. His sojourn in the UK has matured him somewhat.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: March 6, 1979
HEIGHT: 6ft. 3in
POSITION: Defender
CAPS: 53
GOALS: 2
DEBUT: 1999
CURRENT CLUB: Derby County
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Portmore United, Preston North End, Sheffield United
DEMAR STEWART
Demar Sewart is a powerfully-built six-footer who plays in central defence. Stewart has progressed through the country's youth programme representing the country at the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels before graduating to the senior team. The former Jamaica College Manning Cupper has followed in the footsteps of his elder brother, Damion "Stew Peas" Stewart, fellow central defender, who stood out for Ardenne High School in the Manning Cup competition and took a similar path to the national team.
Demar appears to be growing out of the shadow of his elder brother and may even be eclipsing him. Recently he has been the preferred Stewart in the national squad.
The man who started his club career at Bull Bay under the guidance of former national defender Barrington "Cobra" Gaynor, shows a fearlessness in pursuing his dream of making a living from his passion. He is the first and only Jamaican plying his trade in China where he turns out for the Chengdu team following a stint in the Belgian lower leagues with Royal White Star.
FACT FILE
NAME: Demar Stewart
Date of birth: December 15, 1984
POSITION: defender
CAPS: 8
GOALS: none
CURRENT CLUB: Chengdu
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Bull Bay, Portmore United, Royal White Star (Belgium)
OMAR DALEY
A tireless worker, Omar Daley is a utility player who has figured in a number of roles for the Jamaica team in both the Under-20 and the national senior teams. As a central midfielder he played a key role in Jamaica's advancement to the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina in 2001.
Quick and strong with a good shot out of his right foot and a reasonable one with the left, Daley is best when attacking though he has been used as a right wingback and defensive midfielder. This aggressive player sometimes allows himself to get foolish yellow cards as he has yet to see a tackle to back out of.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: April 25, 1981
POSITION: Midfielder/wingback
CAPS: 45
GOALS: 9
CURRENT CLUB: Bradford City (England Div II)
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Preston North End, Reading, Portmore United, ValuP (St Elizabeth Division I), Central Strikers and Israel (Clarendon Division I)
ACHIEVEMENTS: Member of Jamaica's Under-20 team, which qualified for the World Championship in Argentina 2001.
JERMAINE JOHNSON
The moment Jermaine Johnson was spotted playing for Jamaica's Under-20 team in his signature white, he was marked as special. Quick and with an explosive change of pace and mind-boggling dribbling skills, Johnson has the ability to go by defenders at will.
His skills earned him the distinction of being the first Jamaican to be signed directly into the English Premier League when he joined Ricardo Gardner at Bolton Wanderers. He started out brightly with an impressive game against Arsenal but did not display the kind of consistency required to excel at that level and was loaned out before returning home. A couple of chances later in the UK and he is rebuilding his career.
FACT FILE
Date of birth: June 25, 1980
POSITION: Winger/Midfielder
CAPS: 53
GOALS: 5
CURRENT CLUB: Sheffield Wednesday
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Tivoli Gardens, Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic, Bradford City
SHAVAR THOMAS
Shavar Thomas was groomed to become the automatic successor to Durrent "Tatty" Brown, Jamaica's last classy sweeper, but is still to cement his place almost 10 years after making his debut as a teenager. A natural leader, Thomas has represented the country at all official age group levels and has always commanded the respect of his peers but appears to struggle to get the same from successive head coaches.
He was recalled for the current campaign ahead of the first Mexico encounter and has maintained a place in the squad under interim coach Theodore Whitmore.
FACT FILE
NAME: Shavar Thomas
DATE OF BIRTH: January 21, 1981
HEIGHT: 6ft 1in
POSITION: Sweeper
CAPS: 17
GOALS: 0
CURRENT CLUB: Chivas USA
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Hazard FC, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy. ACHIEVEMENTS: Captained Jamaica's team to the Under-20 World Championships in Argentina in 2001.