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While Major League Soccer is most prominently discussed an important development route for American and Canadian players, in recent years Major League Soccer has grown to become a consistent landing spot for CONCACAF talent outside of the US and Canada. It’s now seen by many of the players as a way of ‘getting off the island’ or, in other words, a way to make money within the sport and progress to the ultimate goal of playing the game overseas.
Playing competitive soccer at a good level like MLS, a destination that is not only developing its own players but also becoming a ‘feeder league’ that makes money by selling the best and brightest, is a nice position to be in for players from countries that are playing soccer on cricket grounds or in mud pits or dirt patches.
MLS has clearly helped the Central American nations like Honduras, Panama and Costa Rica showcase their game in a growing league and the results are reflected in their success.
Panama made it to the final of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and nearly pulled it off in World Cup Qualifying, while Honduras and Costa Rica qualified for the 2014 World Cup. While the Hondurans did struggle on the world stage in Brazil, they’ve improved by leaps and bounds.
Costa Rica, on the other hand, shocked the world, pulling off huge wins of over Uruguay and Italy and drawing with England to finish top of the group before eliminating Greece in the Round of 16 and pushing the Netherlands to the brink in the Quarterfinals to become the surprise package of the tournament.
All of that said, the league has also become more and more vital to the overall development of the Caribbean nations as well and this isn’t more evident than when looking at the Jamaican Men’s National Team. A nation that usually relies on the lower leagues of England to help bring along its players, as was the case with its famous 1998 World Cup squad, a team consisting of domestic based talent and English-born Jamaicans with only Canadian-born Jamaican midfielder Andy Williams playing in MLS at the time with Columbus Crew.
Jamaica MNT Head Coach Interview - Winfried Schafer:
That has all changed now, as the team is seeing a large number of players being based within Major League Soccer, including five on the squad that will play Canada on Tuesday night.
In recent times its been the Houston Dynamo that have flocked to the island for talent, but lately other teams like Portland Timbers, Philadelphia Union and San Jose Earthquakes are continuing the trend of signing Jamaicans.
Jamaica MNT Interview - Andre Blake:
Speaking to Philladelphia Union goalkeeper and first overall pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft Andre Blake ahead of the Canada vs. Jamaica friendly, he clearly understands the role the league has played for the progression of Jamaican soccer.
“Definitely [MLS is key to Jamaican soccer’s growth],” Blake told RedNation. “That’s everyone’s aim in Jamaica, to go out and play somewhere competitive. So for us to see a lot of player moving towards MLS, it’s a positive and it will only make the national team better.”
One of those promising young players for the future of the Jamaican national team is midfielder Omar Holness, a player that was ranked 7th in my Gaffer & Hooligan soccer podcast co-host Aaron Nielsen’s Top 100 MLS Prospects List and is ranked within the Top 100 by other publications like Top Drawer Soccer and highly ranked by most other college soccer analysts.
Jamaica MNT Interview - Omar Holness:
Describing himself as a player, it’s clear he feels he can pose a threat to the opposition from a number of different positions.
“I’m somewhat of a utility player,” said the University of North Carolina midfielder. “I can play center mid, center attacking mid, on the left or right wing and sometimes I might even go up front. With that flexibility I can adapt to any role on the pitch.”
“I’m a simple player, I think that’s one of my key traits and I have a bit of speed and agility as well.”
Holness arrived onto the scene as a promising talent at U-17 and U-20 level, being part of the squad that made the Quarterfinals of the 2013 CONCACAF Championships only to lose 4-0 to hosts an eventual champions Mexico.
Still a sophomore at University of North Carolina, there’s time for Holness to make a decision about his professional future, a choice he will make with the help of one key influence.
“Oh yeah, I’ve definitely looked to MLS as a very viable route,” Holness said. “Right now I’m in college of course and hopefully I’ll be able to finish that first before even considering [a move to MLS].”
“I’m very close to my coach at University of North Carolina [Carlos Somoano] and it’s basically his say, as he’s very good at analyzing players and knowing when to make the move. So I put all my trust in him.”
With so many Jamaican players flocking to MLS, including some of his national teammates that have been called to the squad such as Blake, Alves Powell, Deshorn Brown and Darren Mattocks ,he has been given advice as to what he could expect should he choose to make the jump to Major League Soccer.
“I’ve spoken with a few of the guys and they’ve told me from hands on experience that it’s a very tough league, very physical, everyone is fast and technically sound.”
“But that doesn’t scare me, anywhere in the world you play professional football that’s how it’s going to be.”
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