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Look out, here comes Eric Vernan!
Paul Reid
Monday, December 08, 2008
FLORENCE HALL, Trelawny - Eric Vernan might just have played his way into the national senior football team after scoring in back-to-back games for the Reggae Boyz in the Caribbean Football Union's (CFU) Digicel Caribbean Championship.
Jamaica's Eric Vernan (foreground) tries to get the better of his Trinidad and Tobago opponent in their Digicel Caribbean Championship game at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium yesterday. The game ended 1-1. (Photo: Paul Reid)
After scoring his maiden goal in Jamaica's 4-0 romp over Grenada at Jarrett Park on Friday night, Vernan scored Jamaica's goal in their 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium yesterday as the hosts qualified for the semi-finals.
The pint-sized, soft spoken player with the big heart has been enjoying his call-up by new national coach John Barnes and says he would like to be a fixture in the national senior team.
Vernan, who plays on either flanks, told the Observer prior to yesterday's game against Trinidad that it was a great feeling to score for the senior national team. "It was a great feeling scoring for the senior team in just my second game...it's wonderful feeling to score," he said.
He described what went through his mind when he got the pass from Dane Richards. "I was thinking to hit the ball one time, but then I change my mind and decided to control it as I saw I had time. I saw the goalkeeper moving to the right so I kicked it to the next side," her said.
Vernan, who represented Jamaica at all levels from Under-17 including last year's Olympic qualifying tournament in Haiti, said it was "great to be heer in the national senior team, the older players treat me well and we live as one".
It has not been easy, the Portmore United player said, claiming it is "tougher than playing for the Under-23 and Under-20 teams. This is a major step up for me as I have to keep focused in training and games."
Vernan has drawn high praise from assistant national coach Theodore Whitmore who compares him to another Jamaican phenom. "Eric reminds me of a young Ricardo Gardener when he was just coming through," said Whitmore.
Whitmore, who played alongside Gardener in the national team for many years, says what he likes about Vernan's attitude is that "he works hard and he has a lot to contribute to the team."
Whitmore, who has played professionally in Scotland and England, said Vernan's future was up to the player. "Eric has been around the programme for a number of years and he has to know what he wants and where he will go from here so this is just a building process for him right now."
Paul Reid
Monday, December 08, 2008
FLORENCE HALL, Trelawny - Eric Vernan might just have played his way into the national senior football team after scoring in back-to-back games for the Reggae Boyz in the Caribbean Football Union's (CFU) Digicel Caribbean Championship.
Jamaica's Eric Vernan (foreground) tries to get the better of his Trinidad and Tobago opponent in their Digicel Caribbean Championship game at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium yesterday. The game ended 1-1. (Photo: Paul Reid)
After scoring his maiden goal in Jamaica's 4-0 romp over Grenada at Jarrett Park on Friday night, Vernan scored Jamaica's goal in their 1-1 draw against Trinidad and Tobago at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium yesterday as the hosts qualified for the semi-finals.
The pint-sized, soft spoken player with the big heart has been enjoying his call-up by new national coach John Barnes and says he would like to be a fixture in the national senior team.
Vernan, who plays on either flanks, told the Observer prior to yesterday's game against Trinidad that it was a great feeling to score for the senior national team. "It was a great feeling scoring for the senior team in just my second game...it's wonderful feeling to score," he said.
He described what went through his mind when he got the pass from Dane Richards. "I was thinking to hit the ball one time, but then I change my mind and decided to control it as I saw I had time. I saw the goalkeeper moving to the right so I kicked it to the next side," her said.
Vernan, who represented Jamaica at all levels from Under-17 including last year's Olympic qualifying tournament in Haiti, said it was "great to be heer in the national senior team, the older players treat me well and we live as one".
It has not been easy, the Portmore United player said, claiming it is "tougher than playing for the Under-23 and Under-20 teams. This is a major step up for me as I have to keep focused in training and games."
Vernan has drawn high praise from assistant national coach Theodore Whitmore who compares him to another Jamaican phenom. "Eric reminds me of a young Ricardo Gardener when he was just coming through," said Whitmore.
Whitmore, who played alongside Gardener in the national team for many years, says what he likes about Vernan's attitude is that "he works hard and he has a lot to contribute to the team."
Whitmore, who has played professionally in Scotland and England, said Vernan's future was up to the player. "Eric has been around the programme for a number of years and he has to know what he wants and where he will go from here so this is just a building process for him right now."
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