FORMER Reggae Boyz skipper Shavar Thomas, who was recently appointed head coach of Major League Soccer Next Pro team, Connecticut (CT) United FC 2, says the development represents a major win for Jamaican coaches.

“My appointment is not just a win for me, but also a win for the young, aspiring, Jamaican coaches — giving them hope and belief that they can get to this point as well,” Thomas told the Jamaica Observer during a recent interview.

MLS Next Pro is the third tier of the American soccer pyramid and came into existence in 2022.

The 44-year-old Thomas is the first person to be appointed in the role at the club — a new franchise which will be making its debut in the 2026 season.

“To be named the first head coach of CT United FC is a momentous achievement in my life and coaching career,” Thomas noted.

“This is like a homecoming of sorts because the state of Connecticut has played a major role in my life as a football player and as a person…high school, youth club soccer and university,” he explained.

Thomas, who represented Jamaica from 1999 to 2012, played for several clubs in the MLS, namely Los Angeles Galaxy, Philadelphia Union, Chivas USA, FC Dallas, and Montreal Impact.

Given this, he has gained a lot of experience — and that showed when he led Portmore United to the Jamaican Premier League titles in 2018 and 2019 and the Caribbean Club Championship in 2019.

“My philosophy is to build a team that plays high-octane, proactive football — being aggressive with our play by looking to get to goal as quickly as possible [while] also being very compact defensively and hard to play against,” said Thomas who has 52 caps for Jamaica.

He continued: “My preferred style of play is a 4-2-3-1 because it allows numerical advantage in possession and out of possession. This formation can readily morph into different shapes, depending on the opponent’s style of play.”

His tactics and philosophy caught the eye of the Turks and Caicos federation, and he became one of the few Jamaican coaches to head another nation’s senior team.

Despite ticking the right boxes as a former Reggae Boyz captain with coaching success at the local premier league level and international recognition, Thomas was never considered for the head coaching position when the Jamaica Football Federation went hunting.

“Being a former Reggae Boy, it would be a dream come true to one day lead my country in the capacity as head coach, but for now I will be just a fan,” he told the Observer.

Thomas, who attended Jamaica’s crucial game against Curacao, said he left disappointed, “with the effort on the field, given the magnitude of the game”.

For now, his attention is on preparing CT United for the upcoming season, one which he is eagerly looking towards.