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Humphrey elated with Reggae Boyz call
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor Sunday, May 13, 2012
IF there is a football heaven, Chris Humphrey has already booked his place there. Thankfully, unlike the promised Biblical paradise for believers, he doesn't have to die to get there.
Humphrey, a lanky right-winger with Scottish Premier League outfit Motherwell FC, is riding high after seeing his football dreams on the verge of being realised.
He now has the chance to play international football for his country of birth, Jamaica, and also to play in the world's most prestigious continental club championship after modest Motherwell booked the third qualifying spot in the Champions League. It doesn't get much better for many a footballer.
"It was fantastic... it's every footballer's dream... growing up to play international football," said an overjoyed Humphrey, who was born to a Scottish mother and a Jamaican father.
"So with the international call-up and the club in the Champions League, it has been an unbelievable time for me," he added.
Humphrey, 24, a former West Bromwich Albion and Shrewsbury Town player from the English leagues, said his run of fortune has not been an overwhelming experience for him alone, but his entire family as well.
"My family is overwhelmed and very pleased for me as they have always supported whatever I do... they know how hard I've worked as a young player up to the professional level," he told the Jamaica Observer from Scotland on Thursday.
Humphrey, who was born in St Catherine before migrating to England as a five-year-old, has been summoned to the Jamaica team for a friendly international against Panama at the National Stadium on May 27, but he has been down this road before.
"I was invited for the Gold Cup (2011), but I didn't have my Jamaican passport... it was complicated, though I was born in Jamaica... it had run out (expired) and I didn't renew it because I didn't think I would be coming back to Jamaica so I didn't think I needed a new one... but when I got called up my mother came over (to Jamaica) to sort it out," he explained.
At his second bite of the cherry, Humphrey won't be denied and is expected in the island around May 24.
Humphrey, married to Briton Kerry and father of 19-month-old daughter Amelea and two-week-old son Cody, says while he is also eligible to play for Scotland and England, he always knew his umbilical ties would win out in the end.
Having Jamaican Omar Daley at Motherwell, who preached the Reggae Boyz gospel day in and day out, Humphrey was an easy convert.
"It is brilliant to have someone like Omar in your team who helps me a lot as to what to expect from the Jamaica set-up," he said of Daley, who is also an invitee for three quickfire friendlies before the start of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala on June 8.
Already, Humphrey's hopes for Jamaica's chances of a World Cup repeat are high.
"When I look at the various factors I think Jamaica has a great chance of qualifying because there are great talents in the squad.
"Definitely, Jamaica has quality players, and while I'm not familiar with a lot of the names, when you look at a Marlon King and Ricardo Fuller, and of course Omar (Daley), who plays with me at Motherwell, they are a credit to Jamaica's football," said Humphrey, who scored two goals and assisted with nine in a "fantastic season" at Stuart McCall's side.
His Reggae Boyz dream may have just started to take shape, but an eager Humphrey is looking to book a spot in head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore's squad —one step at a time.
"It's a new thing for me, so the main thing... is to play well in the friendlies, and then if I get selected for the World Cup qualifiers, that would be a massive thing for me... so I just have to play as well as I know I can play and prove to people that I'm good enough to be in that squad," he said.
Having not come back to Jamaica since uprooting some 19 years ago, Chris Humphrey will have more than just football on his mind when he lands on home soil once again —some authentic Jamaican food. Wherever curried goat can be had, one is certain to find him there.
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor Sunday, May 13, 2012
IF there is a football heaven, Chris Humphrey has already booked his place there. Thankfully, unlike the promised Biblical paradise for believers, he doesn't have to die to get there.
Humphrey, a lanky right-winger with Scottish Premier League outfit Motherwell FC, is riding high after seeing his football dreams on the verge of being realised.
He now has the chance to play international football for his country of birth, Jamaica, and also to play in the world's most prestigious continental club championship after modest Motherwell booked the third qualifying spot in the Champions League. It doesn't get much better for many a footballer.
"It was fantastic... it's every footballer's dream... growing up to play international football," said an overjoyed Humphrey, who was born to a Scottish mother and a Jamaican father.
"So with the international call-up and the club in the Champions League, it has been an unbelievable time for me," he added.
Humphrey, 24, a former West Bromwich Albion and Shrewsbury Town player from the English leagues, said his run of fortune has not been an overwhelming experience for him alone, but his entire family as well.
"My family is overwhelmed and very pleased for me as they have always supported whatever I do... they know how hard I've worked as a young player up to the professional level," he told the Jamaica Observer from Scotland on Thursday.
Humphrey, who was born in St Catherine before migrating to England as a five-year-old, has been summoned to the Jamaica team for a friendly international against Panama at the National Stadium on May 27, but he has been down this road before.
"I was invited for the Gold Cup (2011), but I didn't have my Jamaican passport... it was complicated, though I was born in Jamaica... it had run out (expired) and I didn't renew it because I didn't think I would be coming back to Jamaica so I didn't think I needed a new one... but when I got called up my mother came over (to Jamaica) to sort it out," he explained.
At his second bite of the cherry, Humphrey won't be denied and is expected in the island around May 24.
Humphrey, married to Briton Kerry and father of 19-month-old daughter Amelea and two-week-old son Cody, says while he is also eligible to play for Scotland and England, he always knew his umbilical ties would win out in the end.
Having Jamaican Omar Daley at Motherwell, who preached the Reggae Boyz gospel day in and day out, Humphrey was an easy convert.
"It is brilliant to have someone like Omar in your team who helps me a lot as to what to expect from the Jamaica set-up," he said of Daley, who is also an invitee for three quickfire friendlies before the start of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala on June 8.
Already, Humphrey's hopes for Jamaica's chances of a World Cup repeat are high.
"When I look at the various factors I think Jamaica has a great chance of qualifying because there are great talents in the squad.
"Definitely, Jamaica has quality players, and while I'm not familiar with a lot of the names, when you look at a Marlon King and Ricardo Fuller, and of course Omar (Daley), who plays with me at Motherwell, they are a credit to Jamaica's football," said Humphrey, who scored two goals and assisted with nine in a "fantastic season" at Stuart McCall's side.
His Reggae Boyz dream may have just started to take shape, but an eager Humphrey is looking to book a spot in head coach Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore's squad —one step at a time.
"It's a new thing for me, so the main thing... is to play well in the friendlies, and then if I get selected for the World Cup qualifiers, that would be a massive thing for me... so I just have to play as well as I know I can play and prove to people that I'm good enough to be in that squad," he said.
Having not come back to Jamaica since uprooting some 19 years ago, Chris Humphrey will have more than just football on his mind when he lands on home soil once again —some authentic Jamaican food. Wherever curried goat can be had, one is certain to find him there.
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