First-time Reggae Boy invitee Karoy Anderson is backing himself to fill a void with a lot of energy in midfield during the team’s upcoming games in the CONCACAF Nations League A Group B qualifiers over the next few days.
The 19-year-old Charlton Athletic player was called up for Thursday’s game away to Grenada and Sunday’s game against Haiti in Trinidad.
According to the teenager who met up with his new international teammates in Grenada earlier this week, his strengths are as follows: “Very busy, [I] get around a lot. I like going forward and defending a lot, so I just try to do everything.”
Anderson qualifies to represent Jamaica through his parents. “My mum was born in Clarendon and then my grandma from my dad’s side was born in Trelawny,” he told the JFF.live website.
As a result, he confirmed that he grew up in a rich Jamaican culture. “Most definitely,” he said. “The food, the music, everything.”
Technical staff keen for him to take to the field
And having drawn near to realizing a dream of one day representing his country, Anderson is now slowly getting to terms with that reality.
“It is something you can’t really describe and it’s something I really wanted to do and now I’m here I mean it’s unbelievable.”
But the player is not the only party eagerly awaiting his debut as head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and his technical staff are also keen for him to take to the field, as they view him as a promising “box-to-box midfielder” who can make a valuable contribution to the Reggae Boyz program.
Anderson’s performance will be keenly scrutinized as in recent games Hallgrimsson’s team has been criticized for a lack of real quality in the central midfield area, reducing the team to an unattractive, route one [longball] outfit.
The Charlton Athletic midfielder told the website that he could hardly believe it when he got the news that he had been selected to the Reggae Boyz squad for the two games.
Teammates embrace new invitee
“At first, I couldn’t really believe it because [even though] I knew I was in the provisional squad when I got the news I was just shocked. I was looking at it for a long time trying to take it all in, and I told my mom and she started crying, so yeah, it was good.”
And since joining up with his teammates and the technical staff, Anderson said that it has been an enjoyable occasion. “Everyone is nice, a good energy around and I’m looking forward to getting involved in the games in training, it’s good already.”
He’s also of the belief that the squad is strong enough to vie for the top competition in the region.
“I think when you look at the squad you already know we’ve got enough quality to win these games, so I just want to come in and add to that and see what area I can help in.”
He’s also grateful to have fellow international teammate Michael Hector in the dressing room at Charlton Athletic.
“It’s good because when I made the step up I knew he played for Jamaica and that is something that I looked to do, so being able to play with him, also with his experience in club football, it’s good, and a good person to look up to.”
