Reggae Boyz Making Large Imprint In 2015 NASL Season

At the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Jamaican national team became the furthest advancing Caribbean nation in the tournament’s history, reaching the final before ultimately falling, 3-1, to Mexico.

The achievement, however, was an important step for the island nation. On that squad was FC Edmonton midfielder Lance Laing, who made two appearances – one in the group stage and the other in the quarterfinals – at the tournament.

The 27-year-old veteran has had another excellent year in the NASL, notching six goals and four assists so far.  

“It’s good to see players getting chances where I’m from,” Laing said earlier in the year. “It’s good to go up against them because in this league, every Jamaican practically knows each other, and bragging rights are on the line. It’s good to get three points against my old teammates or friends.”

Across the 2015 season, several Jamaican players are having impactful seasons. San Antonio Scorpions forward Omar Cummings has found the back of the net a league-leading eight times, while his teammate Stephen DeRoux has played in every match for the club. Indy Eleven has a Jamaican trio - Don Smart, Brian Brown, and Dane Richards – all of which are dangerous in the attack, and Jacksonville Armada FC has Akeil Barrett, a promising young talent that has registered a goal and an assist so far this year.

“I just think its motivation to do well for yourself personally, but also for your teammates,” Cummings said. “It’s a competition and you always want to step on the field and do well regardless. You represent yourself, your family, and even your country if you’re a foreign player in this league. But you always carry pride with you, so I think that’s one thing for sure that you hold on to.”

While Laing and Cummings are both in a race for a potential Golden Boot, the humble Laing didn’t see himself finishing around the top of the race for the award.

“The Golden Boot? No chance,” he said. “I’ll have my teammate, Tomi Ameobi, competing for that this year, surely. For me to win that would be special. I’ve been in this league for some time and have never seen a midfielder win the Golden Boot because of the quality of strikers this league possesses. Again, no chance.”

For Cummings, who is rounding into his best form in several years in San Antonio, he has eyes on finishing as the league’s best scorer.

“[It would mean] everything,” he said. “That’s everything for a striker, to be the leading goalscorer, to win the Golden Boot – that’s always something that you want in your trophy case. To be able to say that you’re the Golden Boot winner for any competition, that’s always great.”

Laing and Cummings, in particular, have a history together, as both players made their national team debuts in a friendly against El Salvador in 2008.

“I think we’re doing what’s best to help our team to win games, and so far both of us are doing well in terms of scoring goals and setting them up for someone else to score,” Laing said. “Omar is a top striker in this league with tons of experience, joining the NASL from MLS this year. Omar is a friend of mine that I met back in 2008 when both of us made our national team debut versus El Salvador. It’s good to see him doing well for himself and his club.”

For Indy, Brown and Smart have chipped in with two goals apiece. Richards has brought his ability to get in behind defenders with his speed and is adding another element to Indy’s attack. Brown has one appearance with the Reggae Boyz, while Dane Richards has featured 45 times for the nation in international competition. 

Richards, who recently joined the Boys in Blue on loan from the New York Red Bulls, noted that he wasn’t focused on how his countrymen were doing around the league, but instead his own performance and fitting in well with his new teammates. But he can no doubt feel that he is in a position to find his best form when looking around the league.

The NASL, to its credit, is certainly becoming a proving ground for players not just from Jamaica, but the Caribbean region as a whole. And the teams who have tapped into the region’s potential are certainly reaping the rewards. Laing’s teammate Kareem Moses (Trinidad and Tobago) and Cumming’s attacking partner Billy Forbes (Turks and Caicos) are two examples. Even more sides may look to add players from those nations to bolster their rosters.

“I think so,” Laing said. “The players from the Caribbean are being consistent enough to be liked by most, if not all, coaches and fans from around the league. Definitely seeing the Caribbean being a place where teams can go and scout more players.”

With international matches always around the corner, could Laing, who has recently embedded himself with the Reggae Boyz or Omar Cummings, who has already had success at the international level, make an impact? What about a young player like Brown, who is still developing? It’s certainly a possibility, and if Laing’s recent trips to Copa América and the Gold Cup are any indication, the NASL is becoming a place that the Jamaican national team’s coaching staff has eyes on.  

At any rate, it’s safe to believe those aforementioned players will continue to find success.

“I believe success will come through hard work and for us, as Jamaicans playing in foreign countries, there’s no room for complacency,” Laing said.