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Watson dreams of Birmingham move
Ian Allen/Photographer - Boys' Town's Andre Wheeler (right) falls as he attempts to kick the ball away from Sporting Central Academy's Javaughn Watson, during the Digicel Premier League football at Collie Smith Drive on Sunday. Boys' Town won 1-0 on a goal scored by Anthony Bennett, in the 82nd minute.
The lawyers of Barclays English Premier League outfit Birmingham City are feverishly working to secure a work permit for one of Jamaica's most talented players, Jevaughn Watson.
Watson has impressed on two trial stints with the St Andrew-based club, but failure to secure a work permit has prevented a deal being inked so far.
The 26-year-old who has several family members living in England, including his mother, a non-citizen, who has been dwelling there for the past 13 years, as a legal resident, his grandfather and aunt; who are both citizens, remains optimistic that he will get to realise his dream of playing in one of Europe's top leagues.
"It is being worked on, because Birmingham has my mother's passport and they have a lawyer trying their best to deal with it," Watson said.
"My mom called me on Tuesday and told me that they asked her for my grandfather's passport, so they are trying their best to deal with it before September," he added.
During his initial trial spell with the club in October, they played against a team from fellow English league club, Aston Villa. The game ended nil-all. He then returned to the island, but was summoned to return two days later. On this occasion, he played in a match against League One outfit Tranmere Rovers.
Birmingham
Birmingham came away 5-0 winners with Watson assisting in three of the goals, while striking the post twice.
The coaching staff was left even more impressed with the versatile Watson who has 12 national caps.
"When I was in Birmingham one of the defenders got injured and I was the one who had to play around there (in defence) in the same Tranmere Rovers game," Watson outlined.
"They were very impressed because they didn't have any defenders on the bench that day," he added.
Watson, who led Garvey Maceo to the final of the Ben Francis Cup and the DaCosta Cup in 2000, has also been on trial stints in Denmark, Norway and the United States. He however, turned down the offers from the Danish and Norwegian clubs on the advice of his agent, Andre Waugh, who deemed the money on offer to be less than acceptable.
His latest trial spell was, however, with MLS club Houston Dynamo earlier this month, home to fellow countrymen Lovell Palmer and Jermaine Taylor. Houston are also quite anxious to acquire Watson's services but Birmingham expressed a desire for him to not take up the offer as it will prove challenging for him to make the move to England.
Watson is very keen on making the move to Birmingham and is eager to get his hand on a potentially sizeable salary.
"I don't know the amount they are willing to give Sporting Central but my agent told me they are willing to pay me in the region of £25,000 (J$3,429,077.43) weekly," Watson disclosed. "So, just thinking about getting that amount of money weekly and can't collect any of it right now is just disappointing," he added. He was slatted to leave the island yesterday to once again join up with Birmingham, who are down to play three closed-door games next week against a MLS team, Sunderland reserves and a Scottish team.
Ian Allen/Photographer - Boys' Town's Andre Wheeler (right) falls as he attempts to kick the ball away from Sporting Central Academy's Javaughn Watson, during the Digicel Premier League football at Collie Smith Drive on Sunday. Boys' Town won 1-0 on a goal scored by Anthony Bennett, in the 82nd minute.
The lawyers of Barclays English Premier League outfit Birmingham City are feverishly working to secure a work permit for one of Jamaica's most talented players, Jevaughn Watson.
Watson has impressed on two trial stints with the St Andrew-based club, but failure to secure a work permit has prevented a deal being inked so far.
The 26-year-old who has several family members living in England, including his mother, a non-citizen, who has been dwelling there for the past 13 years, as a legal resident, his grandfather and aunt; who are both citizens, remains optimistic that he will get to realise his dream of playing in one of Europe's top leagues.
"It is being worked on, because Birmingham has my mother's passport and they have a lawyer trying their best to deal with it," Watson said.
"My mom called me on Tuesday and told me that they asked her for my grandfather's passport, so they are trying their best to deal with it before September," he added.
During his initial trial spell with the club in October, they played against a team from fellow English league club, Aston Villa. The game ended nil-all. He then returned to the island, but was summoned to return two days later. On this occasion, he played in a match against League One outfit Tranmere Rovers.
Birmingham
Birmingham came away 5-0 winners with Watson assisting in three of the goals, while striking the post twice.
The coaching staff was left even more impressed with the versatile Watson who has 12 national caps.
"When I was in Birmingham one of the defenders got injured and I was the one who had to play around there (in defence) in the same Tranmere Rovers game," Watson outlined.
"They were very impressed because they didn't have any defenders on the bench that day," he added.
Watson, who led Garvey Maceo to the final of the Ben Francis Cup and the DaCosta Cup in 2000, has also been on trial stints in Denmark, Norway and the United States. He however, turned down the offers from the Danish and Norwegian clubs on the advice of his agent, Andre Waugh, who deemed the money on offer to be less than acceptable.
His latest trial spell was, however, with MLS club Houston Dynamo earlier this month, home to fellow countrymen Lovell Palmer and Jermaine Taylor. Houston are also quite anxious to acquire Watson's services but Birmingham expressed a desire for him to not take up the offer as it will prove challenging for him to make the move to England.
Watson is very keen on making the move to Birmingham and is eager to get his hand on a potentially sizeable salary.
"I don't know the amount they are willing to give Sporting Central but my agent told me they are willing to pay me in the region of £25,000 (J$3,429,077.43) weekly," Watson disclosed. "So, just thinking about getting that amount of money weekly and can't collect any of it right now is just disappointing," he added. He was slatted to leave the island yesterday to once again join up with Birmingham, who are down to play three closed-door games next week against a MLS team, Sunderland reserves and a Scottish team.
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