Trinidad and Tobago forward Nathaniel James is eager to make a lasting impression on head coach Dwight Yorke as the Soca Warriors take on Jamaica in a two-match friendly series.

With the Concacaf Gold Cup qualifiers fast approaching, James sees these games—scheduled for Thursday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex and Sunday at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston—as a prime opportunity to prove himself and help the team build momentum.

In fact, these encounters carry extra weight for James, who is currently plying his trade in Jamaica’s Premier League (JPL) with Mount Pleasant FA and, as such, is no stranger to his opponents. Having shared the field with many of the players on a weekly basis, James knows exactly what to expect.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for us to get going under the new coach, especially since there are a lot of young players here now. Playing against Jamaica, I know basically all the players on the team. I know it is going to be a good challenge for us and for them, and I think we can use it to improve ourselves for the future,” James said.

Beyond just football, James acknowledges the deep-rooted rivalry between the two nations.

“I think Jamaicans and Trinidadians are alike in terms of how they speak and act. So when we see each other, it’s fun, and the conversations are usually nice. But on the field, definitely the rivalry is there... a lot of bragging rights, and you always have to be on top of your game to gain that edge,” he shared.

While both Yorke and his Jamaican counterpart Steve McLaren are using the encounters to assist in assembling their best squads for the Gold Cup qualifiers, James expects a tough, physical battle across both games.

“Yeah, the Jamaica team, though it is not their strongest team, has a lot of players in form in the league. So they are going to be rough, and they are going to come out hard. But I think we have a lot of players who are definitely doing very well in our league back home—players scoring a lot of goals, and really good defenders getting a chance,” he explained.

That said, the 20-year-old attacker is particularly excited to see young talents like Derrel Garcia and Lindell Sween get their shot on the international stage.

“The two young ones, Derrel and Lindell, are here now to hopefully get their debut and play really well and just make their mark on the international stage. I am here to support them because just a while ago, I was the youngest on the team, and now they are. It’s a great opportunity for them and the team because the games are going to be really intense, really rough, very physical, and very fast,” James noted.

With Yorke recently taking the reins as Soca Warriors boss, James believes every player now has a clean slate to prove their worth. He is determined to seize the opportunity and continue his strong performances for the national team.

“It’s clear to see that he [Yorke] has his own idea of things, so I think right now everyone is getting a clean slate to prove themselves—show their worth, what they can do, how they can play, and how good they really are,” James reasoned.

“This is our chance to prove ourselves, especially with such an important game coming up to qualify for the Gold Cup. We should really grab the opportunity with both hands. I just want to continue what I’ve been trying to do for the national team—scoring, assisting, playing well, and making an impact,” he ended.