Boyz dominate USL’s Caribbean top 10

The United Soccer League (USL), in recognising the contribution Caribbean players have made to the United States division two competition, recently named a top 10 list of regional players for this season with Jamaica and Phoenix Rising star Junior Flemmings topping the group. Five other Jamaicans are on this elite list.

Caribbean players make up a great percentage of the league’s players, and the USL website noted that some of the best players in the championship have their roots in the region. It also pointed out that three of the competition’s first four MVPs came from the Caribbean. However, Reggae Boyz team manager Roy Simpson, who earlier this year criticised the quality of the championship, says this recognition from the league is an indication that Jamaican players are following a programme established by the national team’s technical staff and are having much a bigger impact in the league this season.

“The USL is a stepping stone for these players to move forward. The fact that their dominance is now evident suggests that they are making themselves more marketable. Their consistency is a good indicator that they are taking more seriously the programme we indicated to them. Hopefully, from these performance we can see them breaking into the bigger leagues,” Simpson said.

INFLUENCE

He pointed out that over the years, Jamaican players have become complacent while playing in the league. Now he believes that when the players are having this much influence, it’s very difficult for the national team coaching staff to ignore them.

“It is an indication to the technical staff that these players are serious about the prospect of joining us (national team) for the (World Cup) qualifiers. You want players to understand they are playing in a league below the MLS and they must want to be seen, and performances must indicate that, and in this case we are impressed,” he said.

“We have engaged a number of players in the USL before, and have discussed the league itself and that we would like our players to be playing at a top level. But the fact that they are giving creditable and consistent performances is a good indicator that they are making themselves more valuable. So it is good our players are dominating in the USL,” he added.

According to the USL site, Flemmings, who has 10 goals in nine games this term, was already highly regarded in the league prior to this season. But it noted that he has hit a whole new level this season and is one of the leading contenders for the MVP award.

The other Jamaicans on the list are Kenardo Forbes of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in second, Devon ‘Speedy’ Williams in fourth, Kevon Lambert (fifth), Neco Brett (eighth) and Dane Kelly, ninth. But despite the recognition, Flemmings insists there is still a lot more work left to be done.

“It’s a good recognition. But it makes no sense to start like this and don’t finish. I am looking forward to see what the next few months have to offer. I can control what I can control and that is, keep working hard. But my primary focus is getting my team into the play-offs and hopefully win the championship. That is what I am focused on doing. Everything else is secondary,” he said.

Three other Jamaicans, Nique Daley, Sean McFarlane and Romario Williams, were also named in the top 20.