Ralph
REGGAE BOY Damani Ralph looks set to rub shoulders with some of the big boys in world football like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Luis Figo in Spain, starting next month, with Spanish club Málaga.
Ralph, who plays for the United States' Major League Soccer (MLS) team Chicago Fire, is being sought by the team's coach, Gregorio Manzano, in a story posted on the website tribalfootball.com yesterday.
Málaga coach Man-zano is in the market for a new striker with Paolo Wanchope and Marcio Amoroso flattering to deceive.
Wanchope is the team's leading goalscorer with four goals for the struggling team which lies second from bottom in the 20-team league on 12 points, way behind leaders Barcelona (35) and second-place Real Madrid (26).
Málaga have lost their past four games and were beaten 4-0 by Barcelona at the weekend.
The report also stated that the Spanish club has already opened talks with Chicago and the MLS about Ralph, a former Rookie of the Year winner in the US.
The 24-year-old has scored 11 goals this season in the MLS and is being lined up by Málaga for next month's transfer window.
Ralph was a regular in Ja-maica's starting team during its unsuccessful attempt at advancing to the World Cup Finals in Germany.
EXTENSIVE RECUPERATION
He came up through the ranks of junior football at Harbour View and represented Jamaica College in the Manning Cup competition, before a knee injury affected his progress.
However, he underwent extensive recuperation with strengthening on the sands at Bull Bay's Cable Hut Beach, before moving on to the U.S. where he played college football before making a grand entry into the MLS.
He got a national call earlier this year and scored for Jamaica in their 2-1 loss to Panama with a cheeky goal at the National Stadium, then hit a shot from which Micah Hyde scored on the rebound to put the Reggae Boyz 3-0 up against El Salvador in San Salvador.
