By Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport EditorOMAR DALEY was allowed to play for the senior national team in a friendly international on Sunday instead of an Olympic qualifying game for Jamaica's Under-23s to boost his chances of securing a full-time contract in the English leagues.
Technical director Carl Brown gave this explanation when asked about the situation which denied the juvenile team one of its best players for the important first-leg away assignment against Cuba in Havana the same day.
"He has just signed a loan agreement with Reading and I believe in the interest of the player we allowed him to stay with the understanding that we will have him for the second leg," Brown said yesterday.
The former Hazard United (now Portmore United) midfielder, whose skill and industrious play makes him an asset to the Under-23 team, recently got the deal with English First Division Reading.
This followed unsuccessful try outs at four British clubs - Premiership teams Leeds, Everton and Charlton Athletic and First Division Stoke City.
While Daley was most visible due to his participation in the 2-1 loss to Australia's 'Socceroos', a number of other high-profile players who have consistently represented Jamaica in age group tournaments, World Cup included, were not a part of the Under-23 team in Cuba.
Among them were Keith Kelly, Damian 'Capo' Williams, Wolry Wolfe, Fabian Dawkins and the Thomas brothers - Shavar and Alex.
English new boy Jamal Campbell-Ryce who was confirmed as playing in the Australia friendly from last Wednesday, was also eligible for the Under-23 match.
Asked why the 20-year-old Charlton Athletic midfielder, who made his Jamaica debut Sunday, was not selected for the junior game, Brown said he was also being allowed to strengthen his position at his Premiership club. Charlton had recently brought back Campbell-Ryce after loaning him to Third Division Leyton Orient.
A similar reason was given for the exclusion of Shavar Thomas, the one-time sweeper for the Reggae Boyz who was signed by the MLS for Dallas Burn this season.
"Initially we indicated that we'd invite him. Then he took a while to get into the team (Dallas). We believe that we had adequate replacements in the back. It wasn't an area that we were desperately short of talent in and so we took the decision to allow Shavar time to settle in," Brown said.
Wolfe (broken fingers) and Dawkins (dislocated shoulder) were ruled out with injuries, while in the case of Williams, Brown pointed out that he had been preparing with the team but asked for a one-week break to go the United States.
"He took about three weeks and when he came back his physical condition was down," added Brown of the former Waterhouse midfielder now training with Portmore United.
Kelly's case is a bit strange, to say the least.
Last Wednesday, Brown's deputy Peter Cargill said they could not find the 20-year-old midfielder.
When contacted yesterday, Brown said: "Kelly is another player in transition. Presently he's without a job as a pro. He spent the last month and a half trying to get a job and went to Belgium the last time so he was another player that we allowed time during that period too."
He added: "I believe Kelly is home now so we'll include him in the squad for the return game."
That game will be played here on Sunday, August 12 with both teams locked at 1-1 after Sunday's draw. Desmond Breakenridge scored for Jamaica in the 74th minute but they had a player sent off minutes later and Cuba capitalised with a game-tying goal at the 90th minute.
"I believe it's a good result," said Brown. "It's just a pity we couldn't have held on to the one goal. We knew it'd have been difficult, we were hoping for at least a result like that."
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rohan Ricketts is set to be added to the Reggae Boyz' 'English' cast when they next take on Cuba.
"We'll be making efforts to get him. We're trying to get him here for the return leg," Brown said.
