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SEAN FRASER grew up in the golden era in Jamaica's football. The midfielder was a member of the first Jamaica team to qualify for a FIFA Youth World Cup Finals - the Under-17 edition in New Zealand in 1999.
Two years later, Fraser was on the second Jamaica youth team to play in a World Cup Final - in Argentina in 2001.
Only three years prior, in 1998, the senior Reggae Boyz had created history by becoming the first Jamaica team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
No Jamaica team has qualified for a World Cup Final since.
Though he got his first senior cap as a 17-year-old, the skilful Fraser has never been a permanent fixture among the Reggae Boyz, despite his exploits through the years.
At prep level, he led Vaz to the Alberga and Henriques Cup titles, while scoring the most goals. Fraser went on to represent Camperdown at different levels, before moving to Clarendon College where he won the daCosta, Ben Francis and Olivier Shield triple. More successes would come in Harbour View's junior and senior programmes before he departed to foreign shores.
Fraser, now 26, has played at United Soccer League (USL) clubs Miami FC and Puerto Rico Islanders, as well as earning the distinction of becoming only the second Jamaican to play top-flight football in Brazil at Boavista. He has been on several tryouts in Europe, even playing for one in Iceland in 2004 at Kevlavic where he got as far as having the contract in his hand, only to be denied by a torn groin in what he describes as "... one of the worst moments of my career".
One-on-One caught up with Fraser last week..
QUESTION: Football-wise, what is going on with you right now?
SEAN FRASER: I'm currently a free agent. I just opted out of my contract with Puerto Rico Islanders last week to surf the market to see if anything better is out there for me. I had a one-year contract, plus an option to re-sign and I opted out.
Do you have any offers on the table now?
My agent (Rob Feiguson - US) is currently speaking with four clubs. I don't have any direct offers, they're just in conversation at the moment - a couple clubs from the USL and another from the MLS and one from Sweden called Atvidabogr, where I went on trial previously. If I had a choice, I'd go to Denmark or Sweden, possibly Atvidaborg ... but if I have to go back to the USL, I will. I'd probably go back to Puerto Rico, it doesn't really matter as long as I'm playing. If it even means to come back and play in the Premier League to re-establish myself, I'll do it. Sometimes, you've to take two steps backward to make 10 going forward.
How different was your stint at PR Islanders and Miami?
The coach (at PR) his main emphasis was that everybody had to come back behind the ball. I didn't get as much freedom like when I was playing in Miami with Romario and Zinho, when they told us (attacking midfielders) we didn't have to come all the way back. The best time I had playing with freedom in my entire career was when I was playing in Brazil for 4 1/2 months (Boavista FC - division one), that was the top level football in Brazil, with the very best players. It was different in that we played a different system, we played a 4-4-1-1 and I was playing behind the striker. I didn't have much of a defensive role. I don't have a problem defending though. The coach told me that my role is to get the ball and create opportunities for the team.
You're actually the second Jamaican to play top-flight football in Brazil, following Allan 'Skill' Cole; how does it feel?
It's almost 2.6 million people living in Jamaica and to be the second person to have done that, it's overwhelming to see what Jesus has done for me. I'm a believer and I'll keep believing that some day I'll make it. Success is not a sprint, it's a marathon. You've to be positive, think positive and be careful of a negative environment because if you've people around you who tell you that you reach because you played in Brazil, then it will work against you. It was a really wonderful experience, something I'll cherish for the rest of my life.
Would you say say you've underachieved?
Somewhat. But I wouldn't take the blame for everything, but I would take some of the blame. The club has a lot to do with it. When Boavista approached Miami FC to let me stay, they wanted me to come back to Miami.
You're a skilful player who loves to dribble. How has different coaching philosophies impacted your career.
Two of the best coaches I've played for are local - Patrick 'Jackie' Walters and Ludlow Bernard ... in terms of giving me freedom and knowing what I can do. Every coach brings a different thing to the table; some coaches like a player who runs back all the time, tackling, and some coaches know that you're a dribbler and they want you to create. I'm not a stand-up player, my main strength is to run, with or without the ball. But you've to be a professional. It's something I've learnt from my father, how to be a professional. So when I go in a new environment, you've to ask the coach what he expects of you. It's not a big problem for me, Ill just learn to adapt.
You've been in and out of the national senior team, how do you feel about this?
At times, I feel saddened because I was called up in 2001 when I was going to Clarendon College when Theodore Whitmore was playing. Nine years on, I'm still in and out of the team, so I guess I've to work twice as hard to keep a spot in the national team. But I'm not going to get frustrated about it. If they call me, in a heartbeat I'll be ready to represent Jamaica. It's the greatest thing to put on the green, gold and black jersey.
I remember wearing the national jersey at the youth World Cups in New Zealand and Argentina with thousands of people in the stands, singing the national anthem with my hand across my heart, I will never forget that.
I still think we should've kept those Under-17 and Under-20 teams together. They should have kept camps, keep the team together. The US did it, Ghana did it. Most of our players who had great talent but I don't know if they're still playing football, people like Shane Stevens, Christopher Nicholas, Alex Thomas.
How do you rate those World Cup moments?
Nobody gave us a chance to qualify (U-17) and we did the unthinkable, we really did the country proud. It was the first youth team to qualify for the World Cup. That's definitely one of the best moments of our career. At one point, after that U-17 World Cup Keith Kelly, Eshaya Bryan and myself were being sought by Newcastle. The late Bobby Robson wanted us to come to the academy but it didn't work out.
Your parents are always at the game when you are playing. How have they impacted your career?
My mother says she is the reason why I play football and I believe her, because I've never played for a team that my mother has never come and watched a game. She has been around me all my life and she has supported me when I'm on top, when I'm down and even when people told me I'm too skinny to play football. There's not another mother like my mother.
My father is like my best friend, my brother, everything. I even remember one time when I was playing at Clarendon College, my father even wanted to come on the field when a guy kicked me down, that's how passionate he is. My father is my mentor, he sits me down and tells me how to grow up and be a man and without them, I don't think I'd be here. Not many people believe in me and not for one second have they doubted me. The Bible says to honour thy parents; I'll live by that until the day I die
Two years later, Fraser was on the second Jamaica youth team to play in a World Cup Final - in Argentina in 2001.
Only three years prior, in 1998, the senior Reggae Boyz had created history by becoming the first Jamaica team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
No Jamaica team has qualified for a World Cup Final since.
Though he got his first senior cap as a 17-year-old, the skilful Fraser has never been a permanent fixture among the Reggae Boyz, despite his exploits through the years.
At prep level, he led Vaz to the Alberga and Henriques Cup titles, while scoring the most goals. Fraser went on to represent Camperdown at different levels, before moving to Clarendon College where he won the daCosta, Ben Francis and Olivier Shield triple. More successes would come in Harbour View's junior and senior programmes before he departed to foreign shores.
Fraser, now 26, has played at United Soccer League (USL) clubs Miami FC and Puerto Rico Islanders, as well as earning the distinction of becoming only the second Jamaican to play top-flight football in Brazil at Boavista. He has been on several tryouts in Europe, even playing for one in Iceland in 2004 at Kevlavic where he got as far as having the contract in his hand, only to be denied by a torn groin in what he describes as "... one of the worst moments of my career".
One-on-One caught up with Fraser last week..
QUESTION: Football-wise, what is going on with you right now?
SEAN FRASER: I'm currently a free agent. I just opted out of my contract with Puerto Rico Islanders last week to surf the market to see if anything better is out there for me. I had a one-year contract, plus an option to re-sign and I opted out.
Do you have any offers on the table now?
My agent (Rob Feiguson - US) is currently speaking with four clubs. I don't have any direct offers, they're just in conversation at the moment - a couple clubs from the USL and another from the MLS and one from Sweden called Atvidabogr, where I went on trial previously. If I had a choice, I'd go to Denmark or Sweden, possibly Atvidaborg ... but if I have to go back to the USL, I will. I'd probably go back to Puerto Rico, it doesn't really matter as long as I'm playing. If it even means to come back and play in the Premier League to re-establish myself, I'll do it. Sometimes, you've to take two steps backward to make 10 going forward.
How different was your stint at PR Islanders and Miami?
The coach (at PR) his main emphasis was that everybody had to come back behind the ball. I didn't get as much freedom like when I was playing in Miami with Romario and Zinho, when they told us (attacking midfielders) we didn't have to come all the way back. The best time I had playing with freedom in my entire career was when I was playing in Brazil for 4 1/2 months (Boavista FC - division one), that was the top level football in Brazil, with the very best players. It was different in that we played a different system, we played a 4-4-1-1 and I was playing behind the striker. I didn't have much of a defensive role. I don't have a problem defending though. The coach told me that my role is to get the ball and create opportunities for the team.
You're actually the second Jamaican to play top-flight football in Brazil, following Allan 'Skill' Cole; how does it feel?
It's almost 2.6 million people living in Jamaica and to be the second person to have done that, it's overwhelming to see what Jesus has done for me. I'm a believer and I'll keep believing that some day I'll make it. Success is not a sprint, it's a marathon. You've to be positive, think positive and be careful of a negative environment because if you've people around you who tell you that you reach because you played in Brazil, then it will work against you. It was a really wonderful experience, something I'll cherish for the rest of my life.
Would you say say you've underachieved?
Somewhat. But I wouldn't take the blame for everything, but I would take some of the blame. The club has a lot to do with it. When Boavista approached Miami FC to let me stay, they wanted me to come back to Miami.
You're a skilful player who loves to dribble. How has different coaching philosophies impacted your career.
Two of the best coaches I've played for are local - Patrick 'Jackie' Walters and Ludlow Bernard ... in terms of giving me freedom and knowing what I can do. Every coach brings a different thing to the table; some coaches like a player who runs back all the time, tackling, and some coaches know that you're a dribbler and they want you to create. I'm not a stand-up player, my main strength is to run, with or without the ball. But you've to be a professional. It's something I've learnt from my father, how to be a professional. So when I go in a new environment, you've to ask the coach what he expects of you. It's not a big problem for me, Ill just learn to adapt.
You've been in and out of the national senior team, how do you feel about this?
At times, I feel saddened because I was called up in 2001 when I was going to Clarendon College when Theodore Whitmore was playing. Nine years on, I'm still in and out of the team, so I guess I've to work twice as hard to keep a spot in the national team. But I'm not going to get frustrated about it. If they call me, in a heartbeat I'll be ready to represent Jamaica. It's the greatest thing to put on the green, gold and black jersey.
I remember wearing the national jersey at the youth World Cups in New Zealand and Argentina with thousands of people in the stands, singing the national anthem with my hand across my heart, I will never forget that.
I still think we should've kept those Under-17 and Under-20 teams together. They should have kept camps, keep the team together. The US did it, Ghana did it. Most of our players who had great talent but I don't know if they're still playing football, people like Shane Stevens, Christopher Nicholas, Alex Thomas.
How do you rate those World Cup moments?
Nobody gave us a chance to qualify (U-17) and we did the unthinkable, we really did the country proud. It was the first youth team to qualify for the World Cup. That's definitely one of the best moments of our career. At one point, after that U-17 World Cup Keith Kelly, Eshaya Bryan and myself were being sought by Newcastle. The late Bobby Robson wanted us to come to the academy but it didn't work out.
Your parents are always at the game when you are playing. How have they impacted your career?
My mother says she is the reason why I play football and I believe her, because I've never played for a team that my mother has never come and watched a game. She has been around me all my life and she has supported me when I'm on top, when I'm down and even when people told me I'm too skinny to play football. There's not another mother like my mother.
My father is like my best friend, my brother, everything. I even remember one time when I was playing at Clarendon College, my father even wanted to come on the field when a guy kicked me down, that's how passionate he is. My father is my mentor, he sits me down and tells me how to grow up and be a man and without them, I don't think I'd be here. Not many people believe in me and not for one second have they doubted me. The Bible says to honour thy parents; I'll live by that until the day I die
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