By Nodley Wright, Staff ReporterNATIONAL MIDFIELDER Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore has been given the greenlight to return to the United Kingdom as a professional footballer.
Whitmore, who in June signed a contract with Scottish Premier League team Livingston subject to a successful medical and work permit, was on Friday issued a work permit. With Jamaica losing 0-5 to Mexico yesterday in the quarterfinal of the Concacaf Gold Cup, he is now expected to arrive in Scotland on Wednesday for his medical and to formalise the contract.
"If we lose to Mexico in the Gold Cup quarterfinals then Whitmore should be in Scotland by Wednesday to tie up the deal," said agent Barry McIntosh of Logosport UK and the man responsible for Whitmore's move.
The contract, McIntosh said, is an incentive-laded one for one year with an option for renewal. "It depends on how he performs. If he does well, which I believe he will do, then they will extend it," said McIntosh who also secured the services of Cameroonian international Guy Ipoua for Livingston. Whitmore, who reached his highest point in football at the 1198 World Cup finals when he scored twice to give Jamaica a 2-1 win over Japan, previously played for English Third Division club Hull City along with countryman Ian Goodison. Both players signed with the club in October 1999 and stayed the end of the 2001-2002 season.
At Livingston, Whitmore will play alongside Trinidad and Tobago defender Marvin Andrews, Argentinians Julian Maidana and Fernando Psquinelli as well as Canadian international Xausa.
