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Jamaican-born Canadian admits feeling weird
Jermaine Lannaman, STAR Writer
Jamaican-born Canadian international Simeon Jackson (left) dribbles past two teammates during training at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Monday. Canada will play Jamaica in a World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium tonight. - Junior Dowie
When the Reggae Boyz take the field tonight to oppose Canada in their crucial CONCACAF semi-final round World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium, there will be at least one Jamaican, who will be on the opposite side. He is Jamaican-born Canadian representative Simeon Jackson.
Born in Jamaica, before leaving for Canada at the tender age of three, Jackson is a forward, who represented Canada at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup Canada last year.
"It's a weird feeling to know that you will be playing against the country that gave you birth, but it is just one of those things that you have to live with and move on," commented Jackson after his team's penultimate training session at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Monday, where he was one of the key talking points among observers.
Diminutive player
A diminutive player, who is quick over the ground and runs off the ball well, Jackson has been plying his trade in.
England for close to six years, where he plays for Gillingham FC, having been transferred from Rushden & Diamonds earlier this year.
He first represented Canada at the Under-17 level when at 15, he was invited to join the team. Since then, he explains, he has been a part of the youth system with the crowning moment of his career coming last year when Canada hosted the Youth World Cup.
"It's one of those things," was his response when he was asked why he chose Canada over Jamaica for international representation. "Because I grew up in Canada, I was always in the Canadian system, and when I was almost 15, I got a call to play for the Canadian Under-17 team. I have just been going to the camps since then, and not getting a call-up from Jamaica, I just decided to play for them," said Jackson, who got his Canadian passport in June 2007, just one week before the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Should Jackson, whose father is from Westmoreland, and his mother from St Elizabeth, play tonight, it would be the first time that he would be representing Canada at the senior level. Asked which team he thinks his mother and father would support, he smiled and said that's their call.
"That's their problem ...," he said. "I don't know."
Jamaica face a must-win situation, maybe by six or seven clear goals tonight, if they are to advance to final round of the qualifiers along with either Mexico or Honduras. They have seven points from five games while Mexico and Honduras have 10 and nine points, respectively, with +4 and +3 goal difference margins. Jamaica have a -3 goal difference.
The match will start at 8 p.m., the same time as the Honduras-Mexico clash which will be played in Honduras.
Jermaine Lannaman, STAR Writer
Jamaican-born Canadian international Simeon Jackson (left) dribbles past two teammates during training at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Monday. Canada will play Jamaica in a World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium tonight. - Junior Dowie
When the Reggae Boyz take the field tonight to oppose Canada in their crucial CONCACAF semi-final round World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium, there will be at least one Jamaican, who will be on the opposite side. He is Jamaican-born Canadian representative Simeon Jackson.
Born in Jamaica, before leaving for Canada at the tender age of three, Jackson is a forward, who represented Canada at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup Canada last year.
"It's a weird feeling to know that you will be playing against the country that gave you birth, but it is just one of those things that you have to live with and move on," commented Jackson after his team's penultimate training session at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Monday, where he was one of the key talking points among observers.
Diminutive player
A diminutive player, who is quick over the ground and runs off the ball well, Jackson has been plying his trade in.
England for close to six years, where he plays for Gillingham FC, having been transferred from Rushden & Diamonds earlier this year.
He first represented Canada at the Under-17 level when at 15, he was invited to join the team. Since then, he explains, he has been a part of the youth system with the crowning moment of his career coming last year when Canada hosted the Youth World Cup.
"It's one of those things," was his response when he was asked why he chose Canada over Jamaica for international representation. "Because I grew up in Canada, I was always in the Canadian system, and when I was almost 15, I got a call to play for the Canadian Under-17 team. I have just been going to the camps since then, and not getting a call-up from Jamaica, I just decided to play for them," said Jackson, who got his Canadian passport in June 2007, just one week before the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Should Jackson, whose father is from Westmoreland, and his mother from St Elizabeth, play tonight, it would be the first time that he would be representing Canada at the senior level. Asked which team he thinks his mother and father would support, he smiled and said that's their call.
"That's their problem ...," he said. "I don't know."
Jamaica face a must-win situation, maybe by six or seven clear goals tonight, if they are to advance to final round of the qualifiers along with either Mexico or Honduras. They have seven points from five games while Mexico and Honduras have 10 and nine points, respectively, with +4 and +3 goal difference margins. Jamaica have a -3 goal difference.
The match will start at 8 p.m., the same time as the Honduras-Mexico clash which will be played in Honduras.
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