BY PAUL A REID

Observer writer

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Former Jamaican international Donovan Ricketts will be plying his trade with the expansion Orlando City SC in the USA Major League Soccer next season after they selected him in the expansion draft last week.

With two new clubs — Orlando City SC and New York City FC — starting play when the next season commences, the current clubs left a number of players ‘unprotected’, meaning the new clubs were allowed to choose any of those players to add to their rosters, each taking 10 players.

Ricketts, who entered the MLS in 2009 with the Los Angeles Galaxy, played the last two seasons with the Portland Timbers where he was a teammate of fellow Jamaican international Alvas Powell.

The 37-year-old Ricketts described the move as “a good one”.

“It takes me closer to home and family and warm weather,” he told the Jamaica Observer, hinting to possible retirement soon.

“I have one year left on my contract and depending on how my body feels after next year, I will make an assessment whether I will continue or not,” said Ricketts.

But he sought to assure fans that he is as fit as ever with “only aches and pains related to the game”.

Earlier this year he said he had advised the Jamaica Football Federation that he would no longer be available for selection to the national team.

“At my age, I am not sure I could handle the duties required for both club and country, plus we are well served as far as quality goalkeepers are concerned — we have Dwayne Miller, Dwayne Kerr and Andre Blake, who has showed his quality,” Ricketts said.

He was in the stands at the Montego Bay Sports Complex when Jamaica won the recent Caribbean Football Union Caribbean Cup and the former captain and World Cup 1998 squad member said he was happy about that.

“Winning at home is always good and we proved we are the best in the Caribbean once more.”

This will be his fourth MLS club and Ricketts’ move came as no surprise as Portland signed Ghanaian Adam Larsen Kwarasay, but he said he left the club on a good note.

“This is professional football and no roster spot is guaranteed. I met with the coach recently and we spoke about the possible move, so it was not totally unexpected,” said Ricketts, who also played for the Montreal Impact.

He said the past season was a “disappointing one”.

“Once you don’t make the play-offs then it is a disappointment. We put together a good team that we expected to do well, but it did not happen,” the towering Ricketts noted.

Portland finished sixth in the Western Conference and just missed making the play-offs by two points, finishing behind Vancouver Whitecaps, the club of fellow Jamaican Darren Mattocks.

Whether he plays one last season or extends his contract, Ricketts says once he ends his career, his playing days are over, ruling out any move back to a local team.

“No, no, no,” he responded when the suggestion was raised. “Once I hang up my gloves, that’s it for good.”

But he vowed to stay close to the game that has given him so much. “I am sure I will be involved, in one capacity or the other, whether helping to groom the next generation or in a suit and tie,” he said with a laugh.

Finishing his degree in public administration is a priority for the former Cornwall College student. “That is one thing I really want to do,” Ricketts said.