Outstanding schoolboy footballer Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards is confident he already has the tools needed to contribute meaningfully to the Jamaican national senior team.
In recent weeks, a dominant season in the country’s high school level program has seen the player score 29 goals and contribute 19 assists to Kingston College.
An impressive haul by any standard, but more so it is the quality in some of his finishing that has sparked calls for the player to be given an opportunity with Jamaica’s senior squad.
Not everyone agrees with that particular assessment, however, as some believe the step-up in opponent quality might be a gap too far to bridge at this stage of the player’s young career and might even do more harm than good.
High school players being given an opportunity to feature for the country’s national team is rare but not unprecedented. In years gone by Kevin ‘Pele’ Wilson another schoolboy football standout, who represented Charlie Smith, was called into the national squad as a 17-year-old, and made his debut against Norway in 1995.
Another player, Ricardo ‘Bibi’ Gardner, who represented Wolmer’s in the Manning Cup, went on to be arguably the country’s most successful player after being handed his debut as a teenager in 1997, ahead of the country’s historic qualification for the 1998 World Cup. Based on his tremendous displays many believe Richards deserves similar consideration. He agrees.
“Yes, for sure, right now,” Richards told SportsMax.Tv’s InCaseYouMissedIt, when quizzed about his state of readiness in regard to representing the national team.
“Craig (Butler) has been saying this for like two years, three years now,” he added.
The often controversial Craig Butler is the agent and adoptive father to Aston Villa star Leon Bailey and has had Richards as part of his Phoenix Academy club for the past several years.
"That’s the reason I played Manning Cup to prove myself that nobody is lying, that Craig isn’t lying, my father isn’t lying. Nobody that has been saying I can play is lying,” he added.
Richards also revealed that the current season of the Manning Cup was his first and will also be his last as the player is expected to explore offers from around Europe.
Leverkusen motivated by Roma loss in 2022-23
Bayer Leverkusen will use last campaign's Europa League loss against Roma as motivation to get the job done this time, so says Xabi Alonso.
Leverkusen were knocked out by Roma after a goalless draw in the second leg of the Europa League semis last season, losing the tie 1-0 on aggregate.
But a few things have changed since then with Alonso's side, who are now on an extraordinary 48-match unbeaten run this campaign, ending Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga title to secure their first trophy since 1993.
They are also a step closer to a treble, having beaten Roma 2-0 away in the first leg last week and reaching the DFB-Cup final against Kaiserslautern.
"We haven't forget (forgotten) last season, we felt it. We need to use this energy and hopeful we can celebrate at the end. We will put all of our focus on the full 90 minutes. We want to deserve our win and make the final in Dublin," Alonso told reporters.
The Spaniard, however, said Leverkusen will have to be on their toes despite their advantage as he believes Roma will continue to be dangerous opponents under manager Daniele De Rossi, who replaced Jose Mourinho in January.
"A second leg is always a dangerous situation no matter the result before," Alonso said.
"We are preparing to play well with good motivation and at our own game. We want to be aggressive, control and defend well as a team.
"We are expecting Roma to come with the hope of qualifying."
Major Brown assures good condition of National Stadium pitch for Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifier June 6
Major Desmon Brown, the General Manager of Independence Park Limited, has provided assurances that the playing surface at Jamaica's National Stadium will be in excellent shape for the Reggae Boyz opening World Cup qualifier against the Dominican Republic on June 6, despite a busy upcoming schedule of events.
The National Stadium is set to host a series of high-profile events, starting with the Jamaica Athletics Invitational on May 11, followed by the Jamaica Premier League final on May 19, and the INSPORTS Devon Biscuits Primary School Championships from May 23-25. Additionally, the Racers Grand Prix will take place on June 1, just five days before the crucial World Cup qualifier.
With various athletic competitions taking place, including throwing events like the discus, Major Brown expressed concerns about maintaining the integrity of the playing surface, particularly due to the potential damage caused by shot put activities.
"The discus and the javelin are not a problem. It’s the shot put that is the problem," explained Major Brown, highlighting the challenges posed by the heavy metal ball which can create deep divots in the field.
“We did it sometime ago for Champs when we had to do it for like four days. What we did is that we took it up every night and put it back in the mornings otherwise it would kill the grass. If they throw the shot put, it takes three to four weeks to sort it out.
“It’s a sand field so (the shot put) compresses the sand and then you have to dig it up so that the grass can grow back through it.”
To mitigate this issue, Major Brown detailed a specialized plan involving the use of plywood and sand to protect the grass from damage caused by shot put. This method, although expensive, is effective in ensuring the field remains playable and in good condition for the upcoming football qualifier.
Despite the rigorous schedule of events, Major Brown emphasized that the playing surface has significantly improved in recent years, thanks to dedicated efforts to control weeds and maintain overall quality.
"We have a group of people who are very dedicated to getting that field back in good condition, so even with the events that we had recently, we are working on it to get it back," assured Major Brown.
Importantly, organizers of the international track meets have confirmed that only the discus will be contested during the upcoming Jamaica Athletics Invitational and the Racers Grand Prix, alleviating concerns about potential damage caused by shot put competition.
With Major Brown's strategic plans and diligent efforts, football fans can rest assured that the National Stadium will provide a suitable and safe venue for the Reggae Boyz as they kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign against the Dominican Republic on June 6.
Vinicius 'proving he's one of the best in the world', says Carvajal
Vinicius Junior has come on leaps and bounds and is proving himself as one of the best players in the world, according to Real Madrid team-mate Dani Carvajal.
The pair are gearing up for Madrid's mouth-watering Champions League semi-final second leg against fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich, with the tie finely poised at 2-2.
Vinicius scored both goals for Carlo Ancelotti's side in last week's first leg, taking him to 31 goal involvements (16 goals, 15 assists) in the Champions League since the start of the 2021-22 season, more than any other player during that time.
And Carvajal says the strides made by the 23-year-old are evident.
"He's improved in every aspect - his finishing, physically, his maturity when playing, knowing when it's right to attack the space or to ask for the ball to be played to his feet," the full-back told reporters during the pre-match press conference.
"He's one of the best players in the world, and he's proving that. We know that he puts in a lot of work away from [the training ground], having his training sessions, physio and coaching.
"All of this is helping him to be one of the best in the world. Hopefully, he can help us on the pitch [in the second leg] and see us through."
The most successful side in the competition's history, Madrid are aiming to remain on course for a 15th European crown, while Ancelotti targets a record-extending sixth appearance in the final as a manager.
"There's not much more to say when the time comes to play the second leg of a semi-final in your home stadium," Carvajal added. "The motivation of the match itself ensures that your attention level is at its highest.
"We know that we're up against a side with a history in this competition [six titles], so we have to attempt to beat them and reach the final."
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