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.
Clarendon College retains daCosta Cup title with 6-2 pounding of Glenmuir
It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold, and Clarendon College reminded neighbours Glenmuir High of the famous saying with a 6-2 pounding in an electrifying ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup showpiece, to retain their title at the National Stadium on Saturday.
After going down 2-3 to Glenmuir in the ISSA Champions Cup last week, Clarendon College would have been mindful that vengeance is more satisfying when not inflicted immediately, and almost as if possessed, they produced what could be regarded as the most clinical schoolboy football showing in recent times.
A delightful hat-trick from the prolific Keheim Dixon (2nd, 21st, 90+3), a brace from Jahmelle Ashley (9th, 38th) and one from Deandre Gallimore (67th), propelled the Chapelton-based team to its 11th title, adding to those won in 1977, 1978, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Romario Thompson’s 63rd-minute own-goal, and Orel Miller (75th) were Glenmuir’s consolations.
It was also the first time a team scored six goals in a daCosta Cup final in recent times, bettering the previous 5-0 scoreline between Garvey Maceo and Mannings High in 2021.
For Head coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde, it was sweet redemption for his team and one which they dedicated to trainer, who was absent due to illness.
“I am very happy and elated, I am happy for the players mostly this one is dedicated to Junior Samuels out trainer, her is not here, he is very ill, and the players were hell-bent that they would come out here and leave everything on the pitch and that’s what they did. They worked very hard for this and the loss the other day made them even hungrier, so it was easy to get them pumped and it showed in their display,” Hyde said in his post-game interview.
With their Champions Cup five-goal thriller whetting the appetites of football enthusiasts, there was never a doubt that the rematch would fail to serve up a treat, and the large turnout in the grandstand, complemented by those in the bleachers, proved that much.
Unlike the Champions Cup when they played the patient game, Clarendon College were in no mood to wait on this occasion and declared their intentions in a frantic start.
They broke the deadlock with only two minutes on the clock as captain Malachi Douglas and Ashley combined in a build-up that paved the way for Dixon to fire home from close range.
Before Glenmuir could catch their breaths, they were two goals down, as Dixon forced a turnover to Douglas, who pass into the 18-yard box inadvertently got to Ashley at the far post, and the player sporting the number nine jersey fired in the roof of the net.
With Glenmuir struggling to contend with their pace, Clarendon College pressed the ascendancy, stretching the opponents defence, but came up empty at that point as Christopher Hull shot wide, and minutes later Glenmuir’s custodian Antwone Gooden, denied Dixon.
Glenmuir eventually came into their own and should have pulled one back in the 20th when Orane Watson dismissed defender and had enough time and space to pick a spot, but somehow hit his effort over the cross bar.
He was left ruing that missed opportunity a minute later when Ashley sent Dixon on his way, and the number 13 dismissed a defender, as well as the advancing Gooden to fire in his 30th goal of the season, and put Clarendon College 3-0 up.
In the 28th Watson went on another break for Glenmuir, but his attempt was charged down by Clarendon College’s Roshae Burrell, who left his line well in the one-on-one situation.
And before long, Ashley added another to Clarendon College’s tally, when he expertly headed in a weighted cross from Ateibo Green to make it 4-0 at the break.
Down, and faced with a mountainous task, Glenmuir came out more purposeful on the resumption and were rewarded for their efforts three minutes past the hour mark, courtesy of Thompson’s own-goal.
However, the celebrations were short-lived, as Clarendon College restored the four goal cushion four minutes later through Gallimore’s well-struck right-footer from the top of the arc that left Gooden beaten all ends up.
Glenmuir continued to show fight, and notched a second goal in 75th. Clarendon College’s defenders failed to deal with an Orane Watson cross which allowed Miller to pounce and finish.
But Clarendon College and their point man Dixon had one more in the bag, which came through a brilliant solo effort in which he slipped by four defenders before firing a right-footer past the hapless Gooden, for his 31st goal of the season, in time added.
Glenmuir’s Head coach Andrew Peart felt his team lost it from the start.
“I thought we had the worst possible start; we planned for them coming high up the field that’s why we had two strikers, but poor decision to play the ball short into the middle of the field cost us. That was the start that Clarendon College wanted because they are a rhythm team, and they want to be up early. Second half, we were a bit more controlled, but it was just a good start, and we just couldn’t get back to them from there,” Peart noted.
Clarendon College will next face Manning Cup champions Mona High for the Olivier Shield, at Glenmuir’s field on Wednesday.
McGrath High clips Frome Technical 1-0 to cop first Ben Francis Cup
McGrath High became the fourth school to win the ISSA/Wata Ben Francis knockout title since the change in format, as they edged Frome Technical 1-0 in a lively final at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Dante Anderson's 32nd-minute strike was enough to get the Linstead-based team over the line, and saw them join Charlemont, BB Coke and Edwin Allen as first-time champions.
Winning coach Jermaine Thomas was over the moon about his team’s accomplishment.
"I am happy and elated because we worked really hard for this. I also want to take time out to say rest in peace to Gibbs “Gibbo” Williams, he was an important part of my life and the reason why I went to college, so I wish he was here to witness this moment,” Thomas said.
“But congrats to the boys, they played well, we have been playing well all season, the last game we lost was to Christiana in the Round of 16, and we haven’t lost since then. So, I must commend the boys and the entire school community for the support,” he added.
It was a closely contested affair in which both teams threatened in open play and had their fair share of opportunities to break the deadlock.
McGrath went closest in the 32nd when a well-taken David Hutchinson freekick, was equally well-saved by Oral Davis diving full stretch to his right, in Frome Technical’s goal.
Frome responded soon after but Dwayne Watt’s shot from close range, was parried by Joel Davis, in goal for McGrath, as they remained scoreless at the break.
However, McGrath eventually found what turned out to be the match-winning goal five minutes into the resumption when Devone Davis picked up possession and played a pass off to Anderson, who applied a tidy finish, beating Oral Davis at his near post.
It was end-to-end action from there with McGrath looking to add to their tally, while Frome Technical pressed for the elusive equaliser. In fact, the Westmoreland-based team showed more in the attacking third in the latter stages, as they used the wide channels to good effect to provide services inside the danger area.
The tactic almost bore fruit in 74th when Akeem Kongal’s weighted cross was met by Jamaro Grant, who rose above defenders, but the effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Isaac Mason to keep his team’s lead intact, and they saw off Frome from there.
Frome Technical’s Head coach Cleighton Stevens was gracious in defeat.
"First I have to say congratulations to McGrath on their victory, my boys put up a good fight, but it just wasn't our day. It was still a successful season and we just have to build on it going forward,” he said.
Mikel Arteta refuses to be drawn on VAR rulings as Arsenal slump to Villa defeat
Mikel Arteta was seemingly aiming to sidestep another Football Association charge as the Arsenal boss refused to be drawn on two contentious calls in their Premier League defeat at Aston Villa.
John McGinn’s seventh-minute strike was enough to seal a 1-0 victory for the hosts, who are now just two points off top spot and have won a club-record 15 consecutive league games.
The last time Villa failed to win at home was a loss to Arsenal in February, but this time it was the home side who secured the three points.
Arsenal wasted a number of gilt-edged chances and saw a strong penalty claim turned down for Douglas Luiz’s challenge on Gabriel Jesus, while Kai Havertz thought he had bundled in a last-minute leveller only for it to be ruled out for handball.
On both occasions, the VAR sided with referee Jarred Gillett and Arteta – who was watching from the directors’ box at Villa Park as he served a one-match touchline ban – would not be drawn on the decisions, having already been hit with an FA charge for his stinging post-match criticism of the officiating following a 1-0 loss at Newcastle last month.
Asked about both calls, the Spaniard replied: “Clear and obvious. Clear and obvious.”
Pushed on what he meant, he added, while stressing the two repeated words: “Clear and obvious, that’s what I mean. That’s my opinion, that’s all I can say.”
Arteta was also asked about the decisions during his post-match interview with Sky Sports, saying: “I prefer not to comment…I do (have a) big opinion, yes.”
Any further questions on the matter were shot down but Arteta did go on to say he felt his side had done enough to win the game.
“I’m very disappointed with the result, especially with the way we played,” he said.
“I think we deserved much more than what we got. We were the much better team. I haven’t seen a team do what we did to Villa since we won here in February.
“It was not enough to win it because we lacked the accuracy in the opponents’ box to put the ball in the back of the net with the amount of situations that we generated.”
For Villa, this was a second big win in the space of three days having already seen off reigning champions Manchester City on Wednesday night.
Former Arsenal boss Unai Emery stuck with the same starting XI as the Gunners visited Villa Park and his decision ultimately paid off.
“They were excited and I was thinking at the beginning to do some changes to the starting XI because some were tired from Wednesday,” he said.
“It was a big effort, but we were speaking yesterday with the doctors and all of the players wanted to play today, they were all telling us they were perfect.
“During the match I was watching and needed to be clinical with my decision in changing players.
“Clearly I am very proud of our matches we play here. We have won 15 matches, I have never been in this situation.
“We have to enjoy it and still be demanding, we are achieving. The last time we lost here was against Arsenal and today we competed against them. We are increasing our demands and our level, being consistent, responsible and mature.”
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