‘Teddy’ considering retirement
VETERAN TIVOLI Gardens midfielder Jermaine ‘Teddy’ Johnson is still trying to make up his mind about whether he should retire from football.
The 38-year-old Johnson, who netted four goals for the west Kingston-based outfit in this season’s Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) competition, has been hampered by a knee injury over the past two campaigns, with the problem keeping him out of action for up to four months during this season.
However, the former Bolton Wanderers player told The Sunday Gleaner that he has not made up his mind about his future but stated that while he would prefer to keep playing for his boyhood club, if he does hang up his boots ahead of the next season, he is likely to go in coaching.
“I have not decided on anything because I am also trying to get my hand into coaching as well, but I haven’t heard anything from the JFF yet as to when is the next coaching course,” said Johnson.
“I still play football every single day down at South Side with my friends, and so I still have the drive and everything to go out and play,” he said.
“I still don’t feel like I have given my all for Tivoli Gardens as yet, since I have been from overseas, but I still think that I can do a job for them,” said Johnson, who made his senior debut for Tivoli Gardens back in 1997 before moving to Europe in 2001 to join Bolton Wanderers.
LEANING TOWARDS PLAYING
“I am mostly leaning towards playing right now, because to be honest, my body still feels fresh, and I still feel like I can go more and more.”
Johnson was loaned to Oldham Athletic between 2003 and 2006 before returning to Tivoli Gardens. He went back to Europe in 2007 to play for Sheffield Wednesday until 2014 then again returned to Tivoli in 2015.
Five-time champions Tivoli Gardens missed this year’s RSPL playoffs after finishing seventh in the standings with 39 points. Only the top-six teams qualify for the playoffs.
Johnson admitted that this season was a very disappointing one for the club, which last won the Premier League in the 2010-2011 campaign.
“I feel that I didn’t do much this season because of my injury, and I think if it wasn’t for my injury, I could have done a lot more for the club, and we could have even made the playoffs,” he said. “Hopefully, a fit, fit Teddy Johnson come next season will be better, and so I am just keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well both in terms of coaching and playing,” Johnson added.