Top marksman targets World Cup
Published: Wednesday | May 16, 2012
Shelton
Ryon Jones, Staff ReporterAveraging better than a goal every two games to establish himself as the country's top scorer - having found the back of the goal 31 times in 60 matches - Luton Shelton is still hungry to grace the World Cup stage and believes this current crop of players are capable of achieving the feat.
"It is an honour to know that at the age of 26 you have scored 31 goals and are the leading goalscorer for the country," Shelton shared, following a meet-and-greet session with the Reggae Boyz squad called up for Friday's friendly international against Guyana.
"My dream is to play in the World Cup and I am more motivated than ever to go out there and do my best," Shelton remarked.
"Everyone's goal is to play in the World Cup; if you are a football player you must want to play in the World Cup; it is the biggest tournament in the world."
Achieving the ultimate goal
The speedy player is even willing to amend his game, if necessary, for the greater good of the team in an effort to achieve the ultimate goal.
"It is a team game. I am not trying to put everything on my head or anything, but at the same time, when I go out there, I want to do my job," Shelton reasoned.
"One of my goals was to become the leading goalscorer. I have already passed that, now I have to think bigger. I haven't been to the World Cup, so now my goal is the World Cup, so I have to take the goalscoring off my mind. Even if it is to be that I don't score one goal and I assist 10 goals, as long as it is the best thing for the team and we get through to the World Cup," he added.
The Jamaicans are drawn in Group A and will play Guatemala in the qualifying opener on June 8 at the National Stadium. The United States and Antigua and Barbuda are the other teams in the group.
"We are drawn in a good group where we think we can be successful. We have a good set of youths now in the team, which I think can put us forward and we are working on that," he added.
Shelton, who has been plagued with injuries, is happy to report that he is fairly healthy and ready to go ahead of Friday's game, which will be followed by another friendly against Panama at the Office on May 27.
ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports2.html
Published: Wednesday | May 16, 2012
Shelton
Ryon Jones, Staff ReporterAveraging better than a goal every two games to establish himself as the country's top scorer - having found the back of the goal 31 times in 60 matches - Luton Shelton is still hungry to grace the World Cup stage and believes this current crop of players are capable of achieving the feat.
"It is an honour to know that at the age of 26 you have scored 31 goals and are the leading goalscorer for the country," Shelton shared, following a meet-and-greet session with the Reggae Boyz squad called up for Friday's friendly international against Guyana.
"My dream is to play in the World Cup and I am more motivated than ever to go out there and do my best," Shelton remarked.
"Everyone's goal is to play in the World Cup; if you are a football player you must want to play in the World Cup; it is the biggest tournament in the world."
Achieving the ultimate goal
The speedy player is even willing to amend his game, if necessary, for the greater good of the team in an effort to achieve the ultimate goal.
"It is a team game. I am not trying to put everything on my head or anything, but at the same time, when I go out there, I want to do my job," Shelton reasoned.
"One of my goals was to become the leading goalscorer. I have already passed that, now I have to think bigger. I haven't been to the World Cup, so now my goal is the World Cup, so I have to take the goalscoring off my mind. Even if it is to be that I don't score one goal and I assist 10 goals, as long as it is the best thing for the team and we get through to the World Cup," he added.
The Jamaicans are drawn in Group A and will play Guatemala in the qualifying opener on June 8 at the National Stadium. The United States and Antigua and Barbuda are the other teams in the group.
"We are drawn in a good group where we think we can be successful. We have a good set of youths now in the team, which I think can put us forward and we are working on that," he added.
Shelton, who has been plagued with injuries, is happy to report that he is fairly healthy and ready to go ahead of Friday's game, which will be followed by another friendly against Panama at the Office on May 27.
ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...s/sports2.html
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