Gardner To Captain Reggae Boyz

By Mark Heys
March 8 2006

Ricardo Gardner has been one of Bolton Wanderers most consistent players this term and this hasn't gone unnoticed at international level either as the Jamaican star was recently appointed captain of his country.

Gardner first shot to prominence in the 1998 World Cup in France prompting then Bolton manager Colin Todd to pay a fee in excess of £1 million for a player who was at the time just starting out in his career.

Seven years later and the 27-year old is now one of the first names on the Bolton team sheet having successfully made the transition from left winger to left wing back under the guidance of current manager Sam Allardyce.

Jamaica Technical Director Wendell Downswell confirmed that Gardner would now take the captaincy of his national team.

"We have spoken to the Jamaica Football Federation president Crenston Boxhill as it relates to that and he (Gardner) will definitely take up the mantle as the leader of the national senior team,"

Downswell beleives that Gardner is a player whom many young Jamaicans can learn from in the years ahead and had praised the maturity of the once passive young man who has now chalked up nearly 300 games for the Wanderers.

"I think he has matured tremendously and since he has been there he has been a permanent fixture in terms of his performance day in day out, week in week out, year in year out."

"I'm pretty satisfied with it, as it relates to his performance in general and his general attitude, the level of professionalism, I think it is a shining example for our youngsters to emulate."

Ex-Wanderers players Donovan Ricketts and Jermaine Johnson have also been involved with the Reggae Boyz set up but neither have been able to make a similar impact overseas to that of Gardner.