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Speid bellows praise on Thomas, Calvin
October 09, 2023
The emergence of Shaniel Thomas and Jalmaro Calvin has put the goal-scoring fears of Cavalier's boss Rudolph Speid to rest after the departure of last season's Jamaica Premier League (JPL) top scorer Colin Anderson and seasoned wingers Ronaldo Barrett and Dwayne Atkinson.
Speid was concerned about finding suitable replacements for his front trio, who contributed 39 goals last term, however, on Wednesday, Thomas and Calvin were at their scintillating best in Cavalier's final Concacaf Group A game against Golden Lion of Martinique.
Thomas grabbed his second successive hat-trick, and Calvin got two assists and a goal.
Thomas has taken his tally to seven for the competition, while Calvin has two goals and three assists, and coach Speid admitted the performances of the two have been pleasantly surprising.
"I was wary with our first game with Defence Force because we lost Atkinson, Webster and Colin Anderson. Between them, that was 39 of the 50-odd goals we scored last season, so where were the goals coming from?" Speid queried.
"That would have been our biggest worry. However, Shaniel has been irresistible. Along with Calvin, they have been unstoppable.
"Nicholas Hamilton has also been contributing too. I am pleasantly surprised with where we are, where we have built to become the most dominant team in the competition.
"I never knew we would have been this dominant, and we remain the only unbeaten team in the competition," he pointed out.
In the game against Golden Lion last Friday, the duo ripped their opponents apart as Cavalier surged into a 5-0 lead at halftime before eventually winning 5-2. Speid believes it is just these players' time.
"Calvin came to us as a youngster two years ago. He had shown immense promise. He even tried for the Jamaica Under-20 but went back and played for Antigua, as he has dual citizenship.
"He has been back, and since we put him on in Trinidad (against Defence Force), he has not put a foot wrong. We knew he had this potential. It just came out all at once," Speid said.
He noted that Thomas has been a revelation and an unorthodox player.
"Shaniel has been playing in a position that is unique to him. You never know what he will do next. That is what makes him so dangerous," Speid said.
"He is not even playing forward, but he turns up in the most dangerous places and has a vicious shot.
"His understanding of the game is uncanny, so right now Shaniel is in a zone, and he will take some stopping this season. He is difficult to deal with, and right now, he is the most dangerous player in the Caribbean," he continued.
Cavalier topped their group with 10 points, one more than Moca of the Dominican Republic.
They will receive US$80,000 for qualifying for the last four and US$40,000 for topping the standing.
Cavalier will play their Jamaican counterparts, Harbour View, in the semi-finals.
