Demarai Gray in Reggae Boyz 50-man provisional squad for Gold Cup

Everton FC winger Demarai Gray was named in Jamaica’s 50-man provisional squad for this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup Tournament between June 24 and July 16 in North America (Canada and the United States).

Gray, who turns 27 on June 28, has long been coveted by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and only recently the local governing body’s president Michael Ricketts announced that he had indeed acquired his Jamaican Passport.

The wily winger just managed to help Everton remain in the English Premier League with a last day result that kept them from the dreaded relegation to the Championship.

The boy from Birmingham, England, has represented Birmingham FC, joined Leicester City FC in January 2016 and was a member of the 2015-2016 English Premier League Champions team, played in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen before returning to England to join Everton FC.

The squad, from which the final list of 23 players will be selected, also includes the usual suspects, including Amari’I Bell, who helped Luton Town qualify for the English Premier League.

Gray has represented England at the juvenile level (Under-18 through to Under-23, but has never been given playing time despite earning call-ups to the full England team in 2018.

The Reggae Boyz open their campaign against hosts the USA on June 26.

The full squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Amal Knight (Lexington SC), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Coniah Boyce-Clarke (Reading), Corey Addai (Crawley Town), Jahmali Waite (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Kemar Foster (Waterhouse FC).

Defenders: Adrian Mariappa (Salford City), Alvas Powell (FC Cincinnati), Amari’i Bell (Luton Town), Damion Lowe (Philadelphia Union), Dexter Lembikisa (Wolves), Dishon Bernard (Portsmouth FC), Ethan Pinnock (Brentford FC), Fitzroy Cummings (Vere United), Gregory Leigh (Ipswich Town), Ian Fray (Inter Miami), Javain Brown (Vancouver Whitecaps), Joel Latibeaudiere (Swansea City), Kemar Lawrence (Minnesota United), Luke Badley-Morgan (Stoke City), Oshane Stape (Harbour View), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden), Richard King (IBV), Wesley Harding (Rotherham United)

Midfielders: Bobby Reid (Fulham), Daniel Johnson (Preston North End), Delano Splatt (Fulham), Demario Phillips (Mount Pleasant), Devon Williams (Colorado Switchback), Jonathan Russell (Barnsley), Kevon Lambert (Phoenix Rising), Lamar Walker (Portmore United), Michael Hector (Charlton Athletic), Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea), Ravel Morrison (DC United)

Attackers: Atapharoy Bygrave (Mount Pleasant), Collin Anderson (Cavalier SC), Cory Burke (NY Red Bulls), Daniel Green (Ho Chi Minh City), Demarai Gray (Everton), Dujuan Richards (Phoenix Academy), Jamal Lowe (Queens Park Rangers), Junior Flemmings (Toulouse), Kaheem Parris (Dynamo Kyiv), Kemar Roofe (Rangers), Leon Bailey (Aston Villa), Michail Antonio (West Ham United), Renaldo Cephas (KF Schkupi), Shamar Nicholson (Spartak Moscow), Trivante Stewart (Mount Pleasant)