J’can duo disappointed with Reggae Boyz snub – agent
Published:Sunday | August 8, 2021 | 12:10 AMRobert Bailey - Sunday Gleaner Writer
KEVIN COWAN, agent for Jamaican football players Kaheem Parris and Norman Campbell, said they were both disappointed after being left out of the Reggae Boyz team for last month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in the United States.
Cowan, who is based in the United States, told The Sunday Gleaner that both of his clients have done well for their respective clubs in Europe and, therefore, he is very surprised by their non-selection to the national team.
“Both Norman Campbell and Kaheem Parris are disappointed, and like any other ambitious players would be disappointed,” said Cowan. “They want to represent their country and they believe that they are good enough to represent their country,” he said.
“However, they respect the fact that there are other good players in the pool, but that being said they believe in themselves and they are now at their respective clubs fighting and doing well and hoping that the national team will take notice,” Cowan said.
The 21-year-old Campbell, who currently plies his trade for Cukaricki in Serbia’s top league, has two caps for Jamaica, the last of which came in November 2020 against Saudi Arabia. He had netted two goals in nine appearances on loan at RFK Graficar Beograd in Serbia, before moving to Cukaricki at the start of this season.
He had also represented Jamaica College in the Manning Cup competition, before playing for Harbour View FC in the National Premier League competition.
Parris has been in excellent form so far this season, which has seen him netting three goals in three matches for FC Koper in the Slovenian top PrvaLiga competition. The former Cavalier and Dinthill Technical daCosta Cup star has represented the country on four occasions.
Cowan is hoping that with both players showing good form for their respective clubs so far this season they will be called up for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Every kid’s dream
“Missing out on something like the Gold Cup is very disappointing for them, and look, it is every kid’s dream to play for the national team and so for those players to already feature for the national team and to miss out on a big tournament they were devastated. But now they see the World Cup qualifiers as a big opportunity for them,” Cowan said.
Dalton Wint, general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), told The Sunday Gleaner that both young players do have a future with the national team, but the selection of the national team rests with the coaching staff.
“The policy is that the coach and the technical staff has the sole responsibility to select the team. They (players) do have a future (with the team), but that is determined by the coaching and technical staff,” said Wint.
“The best players will be selected at all times because we do want to qualify for the World Cup, and so this is not about who is more patriotic or who are the ones developed locally here or otherwise,” he said. “It is only the best players that are available that the coaching staff will pick for us to qualify for the World Cup.”