Red-hot Montego Bay striker eyes Reggae Boyz call
CATHERINE HALL, St James — In-form Montego Bay United striker Shaniel Thomas thinks he has done enough to earn a call to Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz for two friendly football international matches against Caribbean neighbours Trinidad and Tobago in early February.
Thomas, who scored six goals last season when he was part of the Cavalier FC team to win the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), scored a late brace on Thursday to help rally Montego Bay to a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Humble Lion FC at Montego Bay Sports Complex.
The 23-year-old’s double took him to nine goals this season.
“I mean, it is clear as day,” Thomas responded when asked about his chances of being named in the Head Coach Steve McClaren’s locally-based Reggae Boyz squad for the games. “I am expecting a call. I expect to hear from them.”
The Jamaicans are to host Trinidad and Tobago at Montego Bay Sports Complex on February 6 and at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in St Andrew three days later.
Thomas share second place on the goalscoring chart with Mount Pleasant FA players Shaquille Bradford and Kimonie Bailey. They are behind leaders Brian Brown of Montego Bay United, who is out injured, and Cavalier FC’s Jalmaro Calvin, who is from Antigua and Barbuda.
Rodolfo Zapata, the Montego Bay head coach, lavished praise on Thomas.
“He is a world-class player and he could be playing in Europe or any where else in the world,” the coach told the Jamaica Observer.
After making his name with Cavalier FC, winning two JPL titles and Concacaf Caribbean Shield, as well as contesting the final of the Caribbean Cup, Thomas has made a seamless transfer to Montego Bay United this season.
“I am very happy with my form. But I have to give a lot of credit to the team and the fans as well, because without them, I don’t think it would be possible.”
Thomas said he was welcomed by the players from his first day in training.
“I was very confident in every training session. I was very comfortable coming into the team. So it was easy to fit in.”
Surpassing last year’s goals total, he said, was not a surprise.
“I’ve been up at that level for a long time, but it took a different setting for me to show how good I can be. The setting played a big role in that, a better setting and I am very happy…as you can see,” he reasoned.
— Paul A Reid
