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World Cup chance for 'Reggae Boy' to prove his worth
WEDNESDAY take a break from league action this weekend but Jermaine Johnson could have a vital World Cup role to perform for Jamaica as he bids to launch comebacks for club and country.
The winger has been recalled to the Reggae Boyz squad for crunch World Cup qualifiers in Kingston against Mexico tomorrow and Honduras on Wednesday.
He must also fight to regain his Hillsborough place after missing one game with an ankle injury and being only on the bench at Plymouth last Saturday.
Johnson missed a training session with the national squad this week because of ankle swelling but Jamaica expect him to be fit for tomorrow's match.
The Owls star will be keen to make an impression on his country's hierarchy.
His return to the squad and the dropping of his club
mate Deon Burton are part of changes made after a disastrous September for Jamaica.
Defeats against Mexico and Honduras dealt a major blow to the country's qualifications hopes and resulted in the sacking of manager Rene Simoes.
The current squad was picked after Simoes' exit, and Theodore Whitmore was placed in temporary charge until former England and Liverpool winger John Barnes takes over on November 1.
Jamaica are bottom of their group with only one point - gained against Canada.
There are only three games left, with two teams to go through to the next stage, which will be the final qualifying round for the American and Caribbean area.
Mexico, who started out as group favourites, are top with nine points and Honduras are second with six.
In the FIFA rankings, Jamaica have slipped 11 places to an all-time low of 116th.
Whitmore has worked on midfield marking and on attacking play.
"We're going to need players making the breaks on the outside and through the middle," he said - a possible hint that Johnson's pace will be valuable.
The manager added: "We have a team capable of winning any game.
"But we have to go out there and show that this team is capable of winning games and winning big games.
"We have a squad capable of winning this match. We're gunning for those three points and nothing less will be tolerated."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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