Barnet’s Golden Jaguar is a real top cat
GOALKEEPER Kai McKenzie-Lyle announced himself at international level by scoring on his debut and marked his second cap by saving a penalty.
As grand entrances go, his first impressions with Guyana were up there with Jack Nicholson coming through the door in The Shining.
But for his next trick, all the 19-year-old Barnet keeper wants is a new contract. His runs out this summer, and it would be astonishing if he did not get fixed up at The Hive or elsewhere.
McKenzie-Lyle qualified for Guyana through his father Wendell’s ancestry and the 6ft 7in giant was happy to adopt the Golden Jaguars’ standard – even though he had never set foot in the country before he flew out for his debut in October in the Caribbean Cup qualifying campaign.
Yet at 18 he was a central midfielder in youth football for Edmonton Rangers. “I only started playing in goal when the team needed a keeper and I was the tallest player we had,” he said. “And when Guyana got in touch, it wasn’t ‘Yes’ straight away because I also qualify for England and Jamaica.
“But it was a fantastic experience. Once you’ve got the taste for it, of course you want more. When I made my debut it was the first time I’d been to Guyana - but it was hard to turn them down when scouts take the trouble to find out about your heritage when you are 4,500 miles away.
“I was originally approached in pre-season after they watched me in friendlies against Enfield and Gillingham. At first I was in a 55-man preliminary squad, but when it was scaled down to 22 names and I was still in it, I spoke to the club and they told me it was my call. I was really proud to be called up, and although none of my immediate family could make it over to see my debut, I have uncles who came to see their nephew play – and I didn’t feel out of place.
“On my debut, we were 3-1 down in Surinam with a couple of minutes to go and we got a corner. I ventured up to the halfway line to ask if I should get into the box and the coaching staff waved me forward.
“Most of the Surinam defence was probably a foot shorter than me, and although the keeper came out looking for the cross, I don’t think he was ever favourite to get there first.”
His second cap, against Jamaica at the Golden Jaguars’ Providence Stadium on the banks of the Demerara river in Georgetown, where England beat Ireland at the 2007 cricket World Cup, was no less eventful.
Two early goals from Adrian Butters had put the underdogs in front, and Guyana were still leading 2-1, on course for a major upset, with 15 minutes to go when Jamaica were awarded a penalty and Corey Burke stepped up to take it.
“I’d not seen him take penalties before, but he hesitated on his run-up,” said McKenzie-Lyle. “I thought, ‘I’m not committing myself before you’ and I waited to see which side he put his kick.
“Fortunately it was within reach, low to my left, and I got both hands to it.”
Sadly for the Barnet keeper, the Reggae Boyz snatched a late equaliser and went on to win 4-2 in extratime, but he would not have missed out on those caps, and meeting his extended family, for all the rain in the South American rainforests.
McKenzie-Lyle has made only one first-team appearance for Barnet, at Portsmouth last season, but is in the squad for today’s home game against Cheltenham – who better be aware he is dangerous at both ends of the pitch.