Midfielder Dwight Merrick’s stocks have risen over the last six months due to his performances for Jamaica Premier League leaders Montego Bay United. Now the 22-year-old has the chance to help the Reggae Boyz qualify for the FIFA World Cup after impressing interim Head Coach Rudolph Speid.

The Jamaica Observer understands that Merrick will be named in the national senior men’s squad for the intercontinental play-offs beginning next week against New Caledonia of Oceania and DR Congo of Africa.

Although Speid’s full squad will be revealed on Friday during a press conference at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters in New Kingston, Merrick is expected to be joined by Mount Pleasant Football Academy defender Kyle Ming as the local-based players. The Observer reported on Monday that the likes of former Boys’ Town striker Shamar Nicholson and Arnett Gardens forward Kaheim Dixon will be excluded from the squad.

Merrick, who predominantly plays as a number 10, has proven to be one of the most consistent players in the JPL this season, with 10 goals and five assists in 24 games.

The former Jamaica College (JC) star also caught the eye of Speid’s technical staff during the recent international friendlies against Grenada and Martinique.

A source at MoBay United told the Observer that Merrick’s call-up is deserved due to the increased work rate he has put in since joining from Dunbeholden last July.

Noted local commentator Leijeigh Williams has followed Merrick’s career since his early days at JC, where he won the Manning Cup.

Williams says he was always convinced Merrick would successfully transition to the senior level.

“The main thing that I would have seen from Merrick during his time at Jamaica College would be his skilfulness at his size, because I think a lot of people don’t realise how big he is,” Williams said.

“He wasn’t mainly playing on the wing at Jamaica College, and everyone remembers that scoop turn that he did while he was playing Manning Cup. He’s incredibly skilful and fleet-footed for his size, and I think that always lended well to him being a much better central player at the senior level, as opposed to playing on the wing, and I think Montego Bay were the team that discovered that and they’re the ones reaping the benefits right now.”

At 18-years-old, Merrick started his professional journey with Mount Pleasant in 2022 and reaped immediate success, winning the JPL title after making 22 appearances and scoring three times.

He would join Dunbeholden in 2024, but became one of Xavier Gilbert’s first signing as Mobay head coach last summer where he’s made an immediate impact. Williams believes Merrick’s shift in mentality has brought him success.

“I think the main thing would be the increase in his confidence, and I think that has had a direct correlation to the output that he’s been giving to Mobay,” he said. “His impact on games has increased significantly because his confidence has increased; therefore, his responsibility in attacking areas has also increased.”

“Throughout the season we’ve seen many variations of him — at the beginning of the season he was mainly a final third player and as the season has progressed he has picked up positions deeper in the midfield as well, so his game is growing. Merrick has been the best player in the Jamaica Premier League this season, and similar to how Warner Brown was last season and was included in the national team, it’s good to see that the JPL players are being praised and given the opportunity when they perform in the local league.”

While local-based players got limited opportunities under former national Head Coach Steve McClaren, Williams believes Merrick’s unique skill set currently will be hard to ignore by Speid during the play-offs.

“The rise of more physically imposing number 10s has been there for all to see, whether it be the Jude Bellingham type, the Morgan Rodgers type, even Jamaica tried to do that under Steve McClaren when you think about how John Russell was deployed, and I think that he can have a lot of those physical traits while also having good ball-carrying, and he’s also a very creative player from open play as well, that, I think, can certainly help Jamaica in many aspects,” he said.

“I personally love to see local players who are developed locally and have the talent to be included in these national set-ups, especially for a game or games possibly that are as monumental as these that are coming up. So I think that he can have a huge impact and bring things that possibly the number 10s before wouldn’t have in their locker, and I hope that he gets a chance to show what he can do.”

Montego Bay United’s Dwight Merrick (right) is challenged by Treasure Beach FC’s Afiba Chambers in their Jamaica Premier League first-round game played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on September 1. MBU had won the game 3-1. (Photo: Paul Reid)

Noted local commentator Leijeigh Williams.

Montego Bay United midfielder Dwight Merrick starting for the Reggae Boyz in their international friendly away to Martinique on Saturday February 21, 2026. (Photo: JPK Visual)