BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz might have pounded Grenada 5-1 in the first game of their two-game eastern Caribbean tour last Friday night in St George’s, but it is a team comprising a number of young, inexperienced players who are relishing their debut performances and eager for more.

Head Coach Theodore Whitmore’s 18-man squad consisted of no fewer than five debutants, three of whom started the game inside Kirani James Athletics Stadium — Daniel Green, who opened the scoring after 12 minutes; Kevaughn Isaacs, who anchored central midfield; and Ajeanie Talbott, who played at central defence before exiting the field with a quarter hour remaining due to cramps.

Talbott, the 20-year-old who hails from Harbour View FC, was ecstatic.

“First, I’d like to thank God. and for me, the game was a very nice one and making my international debut was really good, as I got to play with some of the best in the country and I’m here to learn as much as I can from the coaches and the players,” said the former Under-17 and Under-20 national representative, who has tasted double success with Jamaica College in the 2015 and 2016 Manning Cup competitions.

He added: “Going out there I was expecting the worst, as I was nervous at first, but after getting my first touch of the ball I came into my own and, with the guidance of Ladale (Richie), the captain and Amal Knight (goalkeeper), I enjoyed myself and played to the best of my ability.”

Talbott enjoyed his first experience of Red Stripe Premier League football last season as a regular starter, and said that he achieved some of his goals even as he tried to absorb lessons from the game.

“It was a learning experience, a bit intense at the start where I struggled to catch up but, as a defender, I accomplished certain goals like getting only three yellow cards for the whole season. Harbour View were the best defensive team and we finished in the top six,” he stated.

Meanwhile Isaacs, the 21-year-old Humble Lion FC holding midfielder who was twinned with Tivoli Gardens’ Tevin Shaw in central midfield, said he was happy to fulfil a boyhood dream to represent his country.

“From I was a kid growing up I always wanted to be here to give my best for my country, so it is really a blessing to be here and I just want to go out there and give my all.

“To represent my country, the crest on my chest means a lot to me; it’s really a blessing,” he added, while noting that on a scale of one to 10 “I would rate my performance about seven, because I followed the coach’s instructions; so I think it was a good game overall.”

It was Isaacs’ first call up to senior team and the confident player said he has been awaiting the moment.

“No, I wasn’t surprised because I always thought that hard work would get me where I want because, for one, I put God first.”

He added that his teammates made it easy for him after the first whistle and that he “cherished the opportunity to be here to try to help the country to bigger things”.

And as far as reactions are concerned, Isaacs said the reviews have been positive.

“The coach told me that I had a great game because I followed his instructions and did what he wanted me to do. My mother told me that it was a blessing to see me here because she always wanted me to be here, because football is my dream. So I got a great feedback,” he said.

For 19-year-old Frazsiers Whip defensive midfielder Shandel Senior, it was simply a “wonderful feeling because it is the senior team and everyone wants to play for the senior team. Even though I went on and didn’t play my normal position, I still had to do what I had to do”. Senior was introduced in the 72nd-minute for striker Green, though he played in a withdrawn role.

“No, I wasn’t surprised because I know I have the ability to do greater things than I’m doing now,” he said, even as he admitted nerves.

“I said to myself, ‘This is my chance now to really go out there and show what I can do,’ because I was left out of the Under-20 team which was a setback for me, so I wanted to come back on track. So when I got called for the senior team I said ‘alright I’m going to make a step closer and I also want to go the World Cup’.”

The player also said that he felt comfortable around his new teammates, after being with the group for only three weeks.

Ray Campbell was also in seventh heaven after his debut. “To be honest, it was a good experience for me. At first there was a little bit of nervousness, but when I went on after playing with the team and talking I came into my own,” explained the 20-year-old Humble Lion player.

He admitted that he was surprised with his call-up to the Reggae Boyz training squad, but was thankful that his hard work paid off. He entered the pitch as a 72nd minute replacement for Ricardo Thomas.

And he’s already learnt that communication is one of the key elements in playing international football, as well as following instructions, playing to one’s best, and being focused for every minute.

For the 25-year-old Tivoli Gardens man Barrington Pryce, it was also a pleasure to suit up and take the field in the national colours.

“It was a pleasure for me representing the national team so words can’t explain how I feel now, other than to say putting on the black, gold and green is a tremendous feeling and I am one step ahead and on a mission,” he said.

“I wasn’t nervous but a little trembling was going on., But I know was going out there so I had to strengthen up and tough up because it was now, and not tomorrow. It was a nice feeling.”

He said he has yet to receive any feedback from technical staff, but got good reviews from his many friends and family members, who said they were proud of the team.

Meanwhile Amal Knight, the 24-year-old University of the West Indies FC goalkeeper, is happy with what he has seen from these young players, and though quite inexperienced himself, he is taking the opportunity to guide the new recruits.

“The group is pretty young but one with a lot of talent and potential, as you can see whereby young Green (Daniel) has come in his first international game and he scored. We’ve seen where Peter-Lee (Vassell) is doing exceptionally well and coach Whitmore is giving all of the young local talents their chance. And they are taking it quite well and they have a positive mindset; and that is what we really need in the national set-up right now — young, positive, hungry players with goals and aspiration of going higher than they are really at in Jamaica right now.”

Knight says he advises them simply to take it as nation against nation, and that the opposition are human beings just like themselves. “We don’t know what they are capable of but we know what we are capable of, so in all that we are doing we just have to be focused and be positive in everything. We are human beings and we are going to get butterflies, but at the end of the day it is what you go out there and do — and I think that is what they have done.”

He identifies his leadership role in the team as motivating the young players, though he hasn’t had many caps himself, “but the leadership I’ve got from other players who have been in the set-up, for example an Andre Blake, I passed that down to the younger players. And the new players who have come in I’ve spoken to them and I’ve told them that it’s just us here and we are local talent who know each other, so there is no need to panic and be afraid of anything. We need to just go out there and express ourselves because if the coach didn’t believe in us then we wouldn’t be here — so that’s the mindset that we always have once we go out on the pitch.”

He added that he believes they are taking the advice on board. “I’ve spoken to a few of them and they’ve grasped the information well. And I’ve seen it in training sessions as well and I saw it the other night on the pitch — and hopefully we can get more of this when we have some more tours.

“I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen, knowing that there are a lot of things that could be better in terms of training sessions because we don’t get enough time to train — like in Grenada we only had one training session and we did pretty well on the field. We’ve come to Barbados now and we’ve gone two training sessions which have gone well and I think the players have adjusted; and our main aim here is to play these games and learn from them and get as much exposure and experience as possible.”