Richard Edwards

RICHARD “SHORTMAN” EDWARDS

It is said that ....Jamaica.... does not produce central midfielders in the abundance it develops forwards and defenders. Nevertheless, Peter Cargill, Winston Anglin, Donald Stewart, Linval McKenzie, Peter “Dove” Marston, and most recently, Khari Stephenson are some of the most notable central midfielders to wear the national colours.

So when a young talented player comes along with all the attributes to be a midfield general of the “Dunga” variety it is quite refreshing. Richard “Shortman” Edwards of Harbour View football club is such a player. Edwards has all the markings of a future national, and in a critical midfield position where the ....Jamaica.... national senior team desperately needs stability and damage control.

Against ....Arnette.. ..Gardens.... last Wednesday night at the Harbour View mini stadium, Edwards stepped-up his game a notch and put Harbour View back on the winning track with an intelligently taken goal. Where most players would have gone for power, Shortman kept his composure and quite rightly chose finesse and pace to bury the ball in the back of the Arnette net.

Richard Edwards played with much confidence, passed well both laterally and vertically, marked his zone vigilantly, displayed good technique, and showed that he is playing a very pivotal role in Harbour View’s eight-point dominance of the 2005-2006 Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL).

Edward performed like a natural central midfielder, and all this under the watchful eyes of Jamaica Technical Director, Wendell Downswell. With Jamaica gearing up to embark of its Road to South Africa 2010 campaign, Shortman could not have picked a better moment to be on top of his game, and may very well find himself in the Jamaica squad for the game against England later this Summer.

Richard Edwards, the son of Angela Edwards, has a history of winning titles, and was instrumental in ....Santos....’ stronghold on KSAFA competitions in this new Millennium. KSAFA is the largest of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) confederations.

At ....Santos...., along with Richard West (Harbour View) and Adrian Reid (Portmore United), Edwards won the 2001-2002 KSAFA Major League, and back-to-back KSAFA Super League titles in 2002-2003, and 2003-2004, respectively. Edwards also won back-to-back KSAFA U-20 crowns while at ....Santos.... in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 while playing alongside Kevin King, West, and Reid. Shortman won the 1999 Minor League championship with ..Santos.., and played on the 2000 ....Dunoon.. ..Technical.. ..High School.... team that finished third in the Manning Cup after loosing 3-1 in the semi-finals to eventual champions Norman Manley.

Although Edwards has no national cap, he did do a short stint with the Jamaica U-23 team in 2003 under the guidance of deceased national coach, Peter Cargill. After a third place finish in the 2004-2005 NPL with Waterhouse, Edwards seems heading for his first NPL title in 2006. Richard Edwards is very disciplined, humble, eager to learn, understands and enjoys his role as a central midfielder, and is picked to become the next outstanding Harbour View player to join the ....Jamaica.... national program. And, if his progress continues at this rapid rate, he will be plying his trade in a foreign league before long.

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