Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Luton Shelton (left) breaking away from Nelson Morales of Guatemala to score Jamaica's first goal during the first half of their CONCACAF Gold Cup match in July last year. Jamaica won 4-3. - FILE
JAMAICA'S UNDER-21 football team, set to depart for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games next month, will be without one of their top players.
Top striker Luton Shelton will not make the trip as his Swedish club Helsinborg will not release him from the tournament. That revelation was made yesterday by national head coach Wendell Downswell.
"Shelton's club, Helsinborg, has informed us that he will not be available for the CAC Games," Downswell said of the player who only last week completed a successful three-month loan spell at the club by signing a three and a half year contract for an undisclosed fee.
"The situation is that the club competition in Sweden took a break for the World Cup and during the time of the CAC Games they will have four games," Downswell added.
The resumption of the Swedish league will also see Shelton, a hit at the club since being there scoring four goals in as many games, team up with veteran Swedish striker Henrik Larsson.
Larsson after a prolific career, which saw him starring in the Dutch league, Scottish and most recently the Spanish, is winding down his career and will close off by returning to his home club Helsingorg.
Twenty-year-old Shelton, one of Jamaica's brightest young talents, should finally get some stabiliy in his young professional career after being denied an opportunity at English Division One club Burnley by a failure to obtain a work permit.
Jamaica's Under-21s in the meantime will return to camp today in preparation for their games against Haiti on July 16 and Costa Rica four days later.
Two teams from this three-team group will progress and if Jamaica are to have a successful run then captain Jermaine Taylor, Steven Morrissey, Carnel Learmond, Richard West, Rafei Wolfe, Nicoli Findlayson and Akeem Priestly will have to lead.
