Photo by LeVaughn Flynn
Reggae Boy Oneil Thompson in training prior to the Honduras game.

Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Oneil Thompson's visible size earned him the nickname 'Bigga'. But no tape or scale could measure the Jamaica midfielders courage in Wednesdays crucial World Cup football qualifier against Honduras.

Thompson played the entire 90 minutes with a broken left jaw, suffered in a collision with his captain against Mexico.

"It was the same injury that I clashed with Ricardo Gardner," he said recalling Saturdays incident. "So I was a bit dizzy and I couldn't see much."

Despite the pain, which for a while cast doubts about his availability for the Honduras match, Thompson said he was not about to miss out.

"I was in a lot of pain, but I put my country first," he said Wednesday night, his jaw still showing a bit of swelling. "... And whatever pain I feel, I feel the pain was worth it."

The former Boys Town star, now playing professionally in Norway, was scheduled to see the doctor the day after the game to wire his jaw which, according to team manager Vin Blaine, has a fracture almost like a hairline.

Following the injury on Saturday, Thompson asked to be substituted so he would not cost the team.

Separate training session

He worked out apart from his teammates for segments of training sessions in the days that followed, to avoid physical contact that could aggravate the injury.

Thompson said he returned to face Honduras without injected pain killers. He showed no signs of backing away from contact during the game.

"I got some rest and came back out (Wednesday) and I think I did my job again," he said.

Thompsons effort earned him added respect from his teammates and coaching staff, who were fully aware of his discomfort. It slightly altered his contribution.

"That's why he was staying back and I was going up on the set plays," said defender Tyrone Marshall, "Because we didn't really want to risk him getting knocked on the jaw."

Yet Thompson's effort mirrored the team's commitment.

"Oneil is a warrior," Marshall said. "Nothing was going to keep him out of the game. (His actions) showed the character and spirit of everybody we had in the camp."

Interim coach Theodore Whitmore, who brought Thompson back into the Reggae Boyz squad after the midfielder had been discarded by then technical director Rene Simoes earlier this year, said at one point he considered leaving the player out of the team because of the injury.

Ready to go

However, Thompson insisted that he was ready to go and the coach, recalling his own experience of playing after suffering a broken nose against Brazil in a match in the United States, gave him the green light.

"He indicated to me that he can stick to the task and thats what he did for us," said Whitmore, who described Thompson as strong.

According to Blaine, the doctors advised Thompson could play as long as he could head the ball without any pain.

He said that test was done and the player was declared fit.

"He played with a big heart," said Blaine Wednesday night, "and that goes to show how hungry this team was."

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.