Coach Winfried Schaefer has named five MLS standouts to Jamaica's official 23-man roster for the 2015 Copa América, trimming his initial 30-man party down to the required limit.
Houston Dynamo star Giles Barnes headlines the contingent, and is joined by his club teammate Jermaine Taylor. Another Texas-based Reggae Boy has also made the cut, as FC Dallas’ versatile Je-Vaughn Watson was included as a midfielder despite spending most of his recent club action at right back.
Vancouver Whitecaps striker Darren Mattocks and New York Red Bulls left back Kemar Lawrence are also in the squad, as are former Colorado Rapids frontman Deshorn Brown, now at Valerenga in Norway, and former San Jose Earthquakes attacker Simon Dawkins, now with Derby County.
But it was bad news for the Portland Timbers’ Alvas Powell and D.C. United Homegrown striker Michael Seaton, currently on loan at Swedish side Orebro SK, who were on Schaefer’s initial 30-man list but did not make the final cut.
Jamaica open their first-ever Copa América campaign against Uruguay on June 13, followed by meetings with Paraguay and Argentina in a rugged Group B. Like Mexico, the Reggae Boyz will also take part in the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer, testing the depth of their player pool.
Jamaica squad for Copa América 2015
Goalkeepers: Ryan Thompson (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Duwayne Kerr (Sarpsborg 08), Dwayne Miller (Syrianska).
Defenders: Wes Morgan (Leicester City), Jermaine Taylor (Houston Dynamo), Michael Hector (Reading), Daniel Gordon (Karlsruher), Adrian Mariappa (Crystal Palace), Hughan Gray (Waterhouse FC), Kemar Lawrence (NY Red Bulls).
Midfielders: Je-Vaughn Watson (FC Dallas), Rodolph Austin (Leeds United), Joel Grant (Yeovil), Lance Laing (FC Edmonton), Garath McCleary (Reading), Joel McAnuff (Leyton Orient).
Forwards: Allan Ottey (Mobay United), Giles Barnes (Houston Dynamo), Darren Mattocks (Vancouver), Simon Dawkins (Derby County), Deshorn Brown (Valerenga), Romeo Parkes (Isidro Metapan), Dino Williams (Mobay United).
