The Reggae Boyz squad that faced Switzerland in Fort Lauderdale four days ago will be strengthened by the inclusion of English-based Ricardo Gardner and Luton Shelton. Ricardo Gardner who plays for the Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League, will make his grand return to the National Stadium after a three year absence; his last game at the “Office†was in a 0 – 0 against El Salvador on October 13 2004.
The very fast and fearless Luton Shelton who recently transferred to England’s Sheffield United from Helsingborg in Sweden, has excellent goal scoring abilities will also reinforce the midfield and provide extra striking power. Shelton, like Gardner has represented Jamaica at the Under 17, Under 20, Under 23 levels and now the senior level. Other players that are expected to take the field includes the likes of Fabian Taylor, Donald Stewart, Fabian Davis, Kavin Bryan, Christopher Harvey, Mario Swaby, Lovel Palmer, Jermaine Taylor and Xavean Virgo
The National U-17 Team will open the afternoon at 4:00pm as they play a Jamaica Select High School Team. This game is a part of the continuous preparation of the National U-17 team for their participation in Group B of the 2007 CONCACAF U-17 Tournament to be hosted in Jamaica April 28 – May 6. This tournament is the final stage of qualification to the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea in August and Jamaica will compete against Canada, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago and the USA for 1 of 3 qualification spots.
At 6:30pm some of Jamaica’s Celebrities, Entertainers and Masters League footballers will face off against each other. The Masters vs. Celebrities exhibition games have always been quite entertaining and next Monday’s match up will be no different. The teams will be chosen from a list of personalities such as Courtney Walsh, Oral Tracey, Peter Moses, Zachary Harding, Wayne Marshall, Spragga Benz, Andrew Price, Carlo Redwood and Kingsley “Ragashanti†Stewart among many others
