Canuck wants to be Jamaican...

[Winnipeg Fury]

Time for the Melting Pot:

Canadian wants to play for Reggae Boyz

ANDREW HANCEL, Observer staff reporter

Saturday, September 23, 2006Pierce. I always wanted to play football, but I had to push towards my education first so that I have something to fall back on

He is strong. He is bright. And like many before him, Canadian-born Preston Pierce wants to don the black, green and gold of Jamaica's world-famous Reggae Boyz.

Pierce, whose mother is from Kingston, had a brief training stint with the Jamaica national squad recently in Montreal, prior to an international friendly between the Boyz and Canada which the home team won 1-0.

It was not the kind of look-in any coach or player would have liked, as the training lasted for only an hour, but Pierce insists he is "not one that gives up easily".

He wants to play for Jamaica, he says, because he was raised in Toronto, very much in a "Jamaican" home embracing the culture of 'Yard'.

"I want to play for Jamaica because my family is from Jamaica and so I feel very much a Jamaican," he further explained.

At the age of 21, Pierce has a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia. Now he is passionately looking forward to a professional football career and playing for the country of his heart.

"I always wanted to play football, but I had to push towards my education first so that I have something to fall back on, just in case it doesn't work out," Pierce told Sporting World. "Now that I have an education, I can pursue what I want to do in football," he added.

Standing five-feet and 11 inches and weighing 185 pounds, Pierce considers himself capable anywhere at the back, but did not hide his preference. "I prefer playing at centre-back and right-back," says the Canadian native, who hasn't been to Jamaica "for a while now", due to his studies at the Catholic-run university.

During his quest for higher learning Pierce made contact with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF). "Last spring I sent some tapes to Mr (Crenston) Boxhill (president of the JFF). I got to contact him and when I spoke to him he said they (Reggae Boyz) will be coming up here to play a match (on September 4), and if I want to come down to train with the team so they could have a look at me," revealed Pierce who turns 22 on October 5.

In his short time with the Reggae Boyz in Montreal, Pierce trained with the reserves in his favoured centre-back role.

"I'm a strong tackler, a ball winner and I think that I would be an asset to the team especially in the backline," he told Sporting World, "I'm young, so that's a benefit and I'm learning so I can build on whatever I have already had."

Pierce was adamant that he was in no way disheartened at only having an hour to try to impress the Jamaican coaching staff.

"I went out there and play the football the way I know how to play it, by doing the simple things right. If it doesn't work out, then it's back to the training ground and I will come back again," he said.

For interim head coach of the Reggae Boyz Carl Brown, the time was not enough, but surely the gate will remain open for Pierce who recently had a two-month stint at Thunder Bay Chill in the United States Soccer League.

[nolando]

Good riddance!! All this makes me wonder- How many of our 30 million actually want to be and/or feel Canadian?? Sometimes this garbage literally makes me feel ill.

[loyola]

Well, I don't think he has the level of play to be playing for us (Wheeling Jesuit isn't an NCAA D2 powerhouse) and I would be surprise if could make it to the Jamaican NT too.

[Winnipeg Fury]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

Well, I don't think he has the level of play to be playing for us (Wheeling Jesuit isn't an NCAA D2 powerhouse) and I would be surprise if could make it to the Jamaican NT too.

I'm sure you are correct, but it's the fact that this Canadian born kid dreams of playing for Jamaica.

I'm totally with Nolando on this one. Too many Canadians have citizenship out of convenience and many openly dislike this country. I read it all the time on the Carib forums.

First our young Canuck in Holland looks like he may bail, now this. It makes me ill.

[cndsoccer]

who cares he is a nothing player..let him go play for that power house...

just take his passport away..

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

I'm sure you are correct, but it's the fact that this Canadian born kid dreams of playing for Jamaica.

I'm totally with Nolando on this one. Too many Canadians have citizenship out of convenience and many openly dislike this country. I read it all the time on the Carib forums.

First our young Canuck in Holland looks like he may bail, now this. It makes me ill.

De Jong is a different story, if he wasn't playing soccer most people would consider him more dutch than canadian.

This guy here has been living in Canada since his birth and has never been invited to a CNT training camp at any level (I'm not even sure if he played with Ontario provincial teams?) and he's dreaming of international football.

I think he knows that he hasn't much chances in Canada so he's trying his luck with Jamaica since he's from a jamaican familly.

I think it sounds better when you say that "you feel jamaican" when you're trying out for the Jamaican NT then to say "I feel canadian but I'm not good enough for them....".

[Soju]

Grass is always greener sort of thing. This kind of immature "**** on my homeland for my 'motherland'" garbage is unfortunately part of the Canadian experience. Yeah I'm living in this place for NOW and it's SO LAME but one day I'll go to that place my mother's from. She makes it sound so nice in stories! People seem to also think they're more interesting if they're from somewhere else exotic. Gets them laid.