ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Hull City forward Calaum Jahraldo-Martin is one of eight players expected to represent Antigua and Barbuda in the first round of Caribbean Cup qualifiers starting here tomorrow.
The 21-year-old has played one game for the English Premier League outfit since being signed by manager Steve Bruce in March last year.
Jahraldo-Martin, who can operate as a striker or a winger, will join United Kingdom-based players Nathaniel Jarvis and Keiran Murtagh in the squad that will face the likes of the Dominican Republic, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Anguilla.
Jarvis and Muratagh play semi-professional football for Gloucester City and Woking respectively.
Gordon Derrick, the general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda FA, said it was important for Antigua to boost their squad as they expected tough competition in the qualifier.
“I hear [Anguilla] are bringing in international players so everybody is boosting their squads like St. Kitts and all the other groups so there is lots of excitement out about this version of the Caribbean Cup,” Derrick said.
“There are five groups being played with everybody playing the same day because we are using the international dates so everybody has access to international players.”
Antigua will also have the services of Quinton Griffith, who plays for Charleston Battery in the USL Division in the United States, along with Akeem Thomas who represents Trinidad and Tobago pro side Caledonia AIA.
Defender Connor Peters, goalkeeper Brenton Mohammed and Josh Parker, the latter of whom play for Domzale in Slovenia, complete the foreign-based players expected to be on show for Antigua.
Antigua open their campaign against Anguilla on Wednesday night at the Antigua Recreation Grounds.
