Ricketts highest paid Jamaican in MLS
Published:Wednesday | May 11, 2011 | 12:00 AM
André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter
Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper, Donovan Ricketts, is the highest-paid Jamaican playing in North America's Major League Soccer (MLS), according to figures released by the league at the beginning of the month.
Ricketts, who signed for Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League in 2004, but moved to Bradford City without making an appearance for the Trotters, has been a colossal force for the MLS giants since his arrival on the West Coast in 2008.
According to the release, the 33-year-old Jamaican international, who was last year named to the All-Star team and gloved the best goalkeeper award, rakes in US$170,000 (J$14.4m) annually as his base salary, excluding bonuses.
This is merely a fraction of what the highest-paid players in the league receive, with superstars David Beckham (US$6.5m) and Thierry Henry (US$5.6m) occupying the top two spots for money-earners in the league.
Khari Stephenson, who plies his trade at the San José Earthquakes, is the next-best Jamaican on the list with an intake of US$165,000 (J$13.9m), with Sporting Kansas City's Shavar Thomas rounding out the top three with US$160,000 (J$13.5m).
Speedy striker Dane Richards, who had a break-out season with the New York Red Bulls last season, earns US$145,000 (J$12.2m), well below his team's average salary rate.
The Red Bulls have the highest average salary in the entire league at US$446,570, followed by US$428,265 for the Galaxy.
Earthquakes' hotshot Ryan Johnson earns US$131,250 (J$11.1m) in this his third season in San José.
Six-Figure Club
O'Brian White is not well known to most Jamaican fans and that is understandable, since he has only earned one cap with the national senior team. However, the former youth team standout, who now turns out for the Seattle Sounders after his move from Toronto FC last year, rounds out the 'Six-Figure Club', with a salary of US$100,000 (J$8.4m).
MLS veteran Andy Williams, who has played close to 100 games for Jamaica, was listed at US$99,225 (J$8.3m), with newest export JeVaughn Watson, who recently became the third Jamaican at the Houston Dynamo, earning for himself US$90,000 (J$7.6m).
Interestingly, last year's MLS top scorer, Omar Cummings, who was very close to signing a winter deal with English Premier League outfit Aston Villa, is among the lowest earners in the league, with a salary package of US$80,438 (J$6.8m).
Complete list of Jamaicans
- Donovan Ricketts - $170,000
- Khari Stephenson - $165,000
- Shavar Thomas - $160,000
- Dane Richards - $145,000
- Ryan Johnson - $131,250
- O'Brian White - $100,000
- Andy Williams - $99,225
- Je-Vaughn Watson - $90,000
- Omar Cummings - $80,438
- Tyrone Marshall - $80,000
- Lovel Palmer - $75,000
- Jermaine Taylor - $57,500
- Dicoy Williams - $50,004
- Shaun Francis - $42,000
NB: Salary quotations in US dollars