Keith Kelly AT 19 YEARS-OLD Keith Kelly is one of the youngest players in consideration for Jamaica's national football team and is seen as one of the brightest Jamaican talents.
Since a belated entry into the Jamaica's Under-17 team, which qualified for that age group World Cup in New Zealand, he has made steady progress up the national ladder. So impressive he had been that he earned a contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain.
He was a key member of Jamaica's historic Under-20 team, which qualified for the 2001 World Cup in Argentina and was expected to shepherd a team with five other returning players into the next Under-20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. The Gleaner spoke with Kelly about Jamaica's early exit from the qualifiers and his life in France.
QUESTION: Jamaica qualified for the World Cup in Argentina last year and you were one of the country's most outstanding players then and with Jamaica retaining six players from that squad they were expected to progress further, why do you think they went out so early this time and how does it make you feel?
KEITH KELLY: I do not know why we dropped out early. We have six experienced players who played Under-17 World Cup and Under-20 World Cup 2001 but I do not know what went wrong. We had some younger players who we were trying to guide through the qualifying rounds but we just failed to do what we had to do.
Q: Do you think you had enough time to prepare?
KK: There was enough time to prepare ourselves. The first time I do not know what went wrong and in the second match we did what we were taught in practice and the coaches were proud of us but I guess the first match messed everything up.
Q: What's next for you Keith?
KK: I head back to Paris to restart my training. I will continue to do my best to get into the first team, which is a bit difficult, but I am still trying but I will wait until the end of the season to see what happens.
Q: How long have you been at PSG?
KK: It is about two seasons now.
Q: Are you getting impatient?
KK: Yes I am impatient but I have people around me who say no you have the age still. You are just 19. You have a lot of time to play first team football but as a youngster one is just anxious to play first team football because you have seen a lot of young stars such as Ronaldo, Ronaldino and Ogbeche who started out at the age of 17 so you want the opportunity to start at an early age as well.
Q: What do you think is keeping you out of the first team at this point in time?
KK: Luck.
Q: Luck?
KK: Yeah. I think you have to have luck to get the break. I do not really know but for me it is luck and I am still hanging on in there.
Q: How are you involved with the team? Still in the reserve setup?
KK: Yes I am still in the reserves. Sometimes I play with the professionals. They come down and you play with six professionals but I am trying to blend with them.
Q: I think you told me sometime previously that you had intended to go out on loan. What happened with that?
KK: I went out on loan to a Third Division club in France called Caen and I did not like it that much. My manager did not really want me to go either so after a week I came back and restarted my season with the reserves.
Q: Why didn't you like it?
KK: The coach had left and one of the reasons why I went was because he wanted me there. With him gone I did really wanted to stay.
Q: If another opportunity arises say with a Second or a First Division, will you take it?
KK: Yes, because that is what my manager wanted because he does not think Third Division is for me.
Q: Are you aware if other teams are looking at you?
KK: I don't know. I cannot say yes or no because I am not well known like other footballers like some of the big names so people would not necessarily looking in my direction now. It is possible that one or two people would be watching but one would know until a certain time.
Q: How many years do you have left on this deal with PSG?
KK: I think it will end in 2004.
Q: Are you inclined now to extend that contract?
KK: I don't know. It is up to the club. For me I want to play first team football and if they are not signing me pro or putting me in the first team - well if there is something better out there I will go but if there is nothing better I will stay.
Q: So it is not a professional contract that you are on?
KK: No it is like a reserve team contract. There is a French term for it, which I do not know in English. It is a youth contract but the best contract for a youth.
Q: Are you comfortable with that contract?
KK: Yeah I am all right. I just want to play football.
Q: Financially are you okay with it?
KK: Yeah I am all right because my manager did his best to let me get enough money for that contract. I am all right.
Q: What is the feedback that you are getting from the coaching staff at PSG?
KK: Yeah but they would want more. I think they would want more because the reserve coach likes me a lot and sometimes he pushes me to do much more that the others. Yes he pushes others too but I am probably one of the best players in the reserves apart from the pros.
Q: How are you coming on with the language?
KK: I am coming on pretty well. I progress day by but it is still a bit difficult. I make errors in my sentences but they understand me and I understand them when they talk. I am about 70 per cent there.
Q: Do you miss home sometimes?
KK: A lot of the times because I am the only Jamaican there. No mommy no daddy but I try to blend with the other players. They take me out sometimes and try to speak the English but sometimes I miss home. Sometimes I am happy when I am called to the national team to get even one day with my family.
I am close to Bartholomew Ogbeche a lot and people say it is because we both speak English. There was a Haitian player at the club but he left.
Q: Finally, what do you think you have to do to break into the first team football be it at PSG or any other club?
KK: I have to just work hard and keep my hopes up. It is my hope to play professional football so I just have to believe in the Lord who has given me this opportunity to play in Europe so I have to use it wisely.
Q: I said finally but what about the academic grounding for you there?
KK: Yes I have that opportunity. They gave me a computer, and I go to classes to study French, English, mathematics and computing. They also teach me life skills.
- Nodley Wright
