Daley on a high

Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sports

MIAMI, Florida:KEAMMAR DALEY is in the zone. Like a basketballer on top of his game, the Reggae Boy has been right on the money, hitting the mark at every turn.

Just last month, the diminutive midfielder was celebrating a title success with his local club, Tivoli Gardens, after topping the Digicel Premier League, which went right down to the wire with a title-deciding game on the last day that they won 1-0 over Boys' Town.

A couple of weeks on, he emerged with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for that championship.

Within that same period, he played a lead role in his team winning the Flow Champions Cup, the national knockout championship, thus sealing the double; and emerged with two major prizes - that for the leading goalscorer, which he shared; and the 'Red Stripe Star Balla Award' - a nice little MVP definition.

Daley's purple patch has been blooming for a stretch, dating back to the Digicel Caribbean Cup, where he formed part of the Jamaica unit that lifted the championship in Martinique.

Ironically, the former Jamaica College schoolboy standout got much playing time then, but never seemed to have impressed his highly acclaimed national senior team coach, Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, in the way he did after gracing the field as a second-half substitute in their CONCACAF Gold Cup 4-0 walloping of Grenada, at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, on Monday night.

Daley sliced open the Grenada defence time and again with some well-measured through passes, setting up his teammates for open goal chances.

His performance drew encouraging acclaim from the coach, a ball wizard of no mean order when he roamed the field as both scorer and creator in the said Reggae Boyz uniform.

"I think Keammar Daley brought something to the game that we were lacking and I keep saying Keammar Daley just needs to get the confidence and the belief that he's the one to replace the Theodore Whitmore that we've been talking about," said Whitmore.

Similar to his personality, Daley, just ahead of their second match against Guatemala in Miami last night, humbly responded to the compliment saying "it's a good feeling" pointed out that the contribution was enhanced with an adherence to coaching detail.

"Going out on the pitch and getting the instructions from the coach, so I just went out there and carried out the instructions concerning ball possession and to distribute," he said.

the real chances

That the Jamaica team led 2-0 and were all over their opponents in a very dominating display would also have helped the player, even though his addition included the real 'bread and butter' chances.

"This was one of my most relaxing games coming off the bench. I wasn't under a lot of pressure," Daley admitted.

"There's the confidence and the team spirit and the coach has that belief in me, so it's just for you to have the belief that you can carry out the job and when you do this, the coach will have that anticipation when to play and not to play you, even though when you remember the Digicel Cup, I didn't play the last two games," he reminded.

"I played three games and I know those three games were pretty decent from the coach's perspective. We talked but in teams every player is for a special reason and a special moment and I know I am one of those types of players who are very special. Special moments call for special players to deliver and you just have to consider that," he added.

Not lost on the 23-year-old is the recognition that he is in the zone and that fact that he has to maintain that confidence to keep going forward.

"The form is great right now. I give thanks to the Almighty, who has been guiding me, as well as the supporters and the community, family members, close friends and the players in the team, who are all supporting me. They are the ones who have been motivating me and pushing me to that climax you know," said Daley.

Among that family is his brother, Kevin Blake, who represented Montego Bay club Violet Kickers, as well as his cousin, Lennox Creary who won the Manning Cup at Calabar and later joined Arnett Gardens and now Harbour View football clubs.

He also has huge respect for his former coach and mentor, David 'Wagga' Hunt.

"I can't forget David Hunt at any time because he's one of the persons who gave me that self-belief and motivation to know that players like me and a few others are very hard to find, we just have something different to bring to each team."

moving up the ranks

Hunt was Daley's long-time coach at Meadhaven United Football Club, where he grew from the under-12, under-15, under-17, major and super league levels, before graduating to Tivoli Gardens.

Besides success gained there, he was a leading member on Jamaica's Under-20 team at the Pan American Games, scoring the most goals - four - as the country went on to secure its first-ever silver medal after going down 2-1 to Ecuador in the final.

In the Gold Cup, Jamaica have twice occupied the bronze placing, in 1993 and 1998, so Daley finds himself in line to become part of history again.

He admits working hard and knows that besides helping his team to scale new heights, personal opportunities may also arise.

"Our league in Jamaica is not that high but once you're playing you know that it's hard work. I've been training hard ... I know that this is the time decisions will be made, even about this tournament itself, it can decide the future," he inferred of scouts looking for players capable of fitting into pro leagues.

" ... You don't know who is out there watching, so you've to bring your 'A' game ... you've to stay focused.

At this time, Daley is ready for everything and anything.

" ... In myself, the way I'm feeling, I'm relaxed. When you're relaxed as a player, that's the time when you can do a lot of stuff, do some incredible things ..." he explained.

"A lot of people say it to me that I am the player that people are looking for, not only people but the coach has that belief, it's just for me to keep that level high."

That's one sure way for Daley to stay in the zone.