Boundless potential
Thomas, Argentine coach see Reggae Boyz, international club future
Published:Wednesday | January 22, 2025 | 12:10 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
MONTEGO BAY United coach Rodolfo Zapata says attacker Shaniel Thomas is a high-class player who deserves to be playing with the Reggae Boyz and in Europe.
Thomas turned in a man-of-the-match performance against Molynes United on Monday at the Anthony Spaulding Complex, scoring a goal and providing an assist, to help his team to a 2-0 win to move into second in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) standing.
Zapata said the 23-year-old, who has seven JPL goals this term, is bursting with potential and has a very bright future.
“He has had several opportunities with the Reggae Boyz. He is very talented. He is a high-class player and deserves to play in the Reggae Boyz and why not in Europe or MLS. He has the potential to play all of that. He has a bright present. But he also has a bright future and it depends on himself,” he commented.
On Monday, MoBay were without leading scorer Brian Brown (10 goals), and Thomas, who usually plays behind the forwards, was asked to spearhead the attack, and Zapata thought he led the line excellently.
First he left two defenders for dead down the left before setting up Jourdain Fletcher, a minute after the break. Then five minutes later he slipped between two defenders to steer home a cross from close range.
“He (Brown) is the top goalscorer of the league. He is going to be out for a couple weeks. Hoping that he will recover as soon as possible. So today we played with Shaniel as a target and midfielders to go box to box and it worked,” Zapata said.
Thomas, the Concacaf Caribbean Cup golden boot winner in 2023, also has his sights set on an overseas move, and believes his true abilities have really started to show since he joined MoBay from Cavalier.
“I really would like to leave the island. Not because because I am 23, I do not think I am really young. But I just want to be involved in every play with my team, in the build-up, assists and goalscoring chance that we get. I think I am playing wonderful so far and I am happy
“The fans and the players have been very welcoming and also the coaching staff and this Shaniel Thomas has been there for the longest while and it is coming out right now. So I am happy to be at Montego Bay,” he declared.
Helping MoBay reclaim the JPL title would be a big accomplishment said Thomas, who won two titles with Cavalier.
“It would be a joy for me, a great accomplishment to leave the first city and go to the Second City and win the Jamaica Premier League again. The aim is to win it. So we are going to go very hard to win it.
“I approach every game as a final and a must-win. I don’t take any team lightly. So going into each match I am very confident and positive that I can produce because I am comfortable and I work really hard in training. So match days I go into the game with ease and things just come to me naturally and I just play football,” he said.