"Tuffy" happy with recognition

Sport

THE RJR SPORTS FOUNDATION 2013 PEOPLE’S CHOICE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINEEBY HURBUN WILLIAMS Observer writer Friday, January 03, 2014

JERMAINE ‘Tuffy’ Anderson, one of the five nominees for the RJR Sports Foundation 2013 People’s Choice Performance of the Year Award nominees, is extremely pleased to be recognised for his efforts, even as he praised the organisers.Anderson, 34, who was scheduled to leave the island yesterday after securing a contract in El Salvador, was nominated for his goal against Costa Rica that kept alive the Reggae Boyz’s World Cup hopes in September.“Yes, I really feel good about it and would even be better still to know say on the day it is announced that Jermaine Anderson has won it,” he told the Jamaica Observer recently. “I know I will be proud and make my mother even prouder,” added Anderson.The bustling forward, who won the hearts of many Jamaicans for his goal-scoring exploits with local club Waterhouse over the years, was never selected by former head coach Theodore Whitmore for the World Cup Qualifiers, but new German coach Winfried Schäfer introduced him in the second half and he delivered with a 90th minute goal, which earned Jamaica a 1-1 draw.“Let me say this. I believe that once you work hard things must come through,” he added.Anderson has been nominated alongside fellow footballer, National Under-17 and Under-20 midfielder Khaija Shaw, track athletes Javon Francis and Yanique Thompson, and jockey Dane Nelson.“To know that you have been nominated for Sports Personality People’s Choice of the Year Award is a good feeling as it comes as a big recognition,” said Anderson.Anderson, or ‘Tuffy’ as he is affectionately called, believes the country has seen the good in him and the award should now serve to inspire others to succeed in spite of hardships, trials and tribulation.The Jamaican public is again being invited to be involved in the selection process by voting for the winner from a list of top five nominees for the People’s Choice of the Year award. This year voting will take place by either text messaging or voice calls on a voting platform established by Digicel and also through voting on the Jamaica Observer social media Internet pages, its online platform, or a purpose-built e-mail address. Voting information will be available on a regular basis in the pages of the Observer.ANDERSON… I know I will be proud and make my mother even prouder

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"Tuffy" happy with recognition

"I want to make Jamaica proud," — Tuffy

PANAMA CITY, Panama — There is no stopping Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson, it seems.

He was the footballer who Jamaican fans staged multiple protests at different points across the island, as they tried to force the hand of then head coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore to select him for the ongoing CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign.Despite the pressure, Whitmore, a hero of Jamaica’s football, did not budge even as the Reggae Boyz campaign spiralled down.In Whitmore’s eyes, ‘Tuffy’ was just not his man despite the latter holding the honour of being the top striker in the land.But Anderson was determined to play for his country again after being snubbed following his participation in the Caribbean Cup in Antigua and Barbuda, last December.With the arrival of a new coach Winfried Schafer after Whitmore quit, things started to look up for the Waterhouse frontman and crowd favourite.“That’s how life goes, maybe that coach (Whitmore) just didn’t feel he wanted me in his team, but this coach comes and sees something in me and he has given me some good vibes so far… and I have been working hard in training, and not because I am 34, I give my best and I have been running hard. Right now I just want to go out there and just do my best and make Jamaica proud of me,” Anderson told the Jamaica Observer during an interview aboard a charter that took the Boyz here for their World Cup qualifier against hosts Panama.Anderson, who has been in and out of the Jamaica set-up but still waiting for that moment to make his mark, says he is eager to make the best of this chance at redemption.“I have always wanted to do good things for my country, as country comes first, so really and truly I want to be out there. It’s not so much that people were crying for me, it’s more that those people saw what ‘Tuffy’ can do for the country.“But now that I get another look in with the team, I am just going to be focused and do my best for my country, whether I get five minutes or 10 minutes on the field,” said the irrepressible Montego Bay native.He spoke of Jamaica’s do-or-die matchup against Panama tonight in a manner and tone as if he expects to get a chance to play. But that’s ‘Tuffy’, always eager to have a go for either club or country.“This game against Panama is going to be a hard fight for Jamaica. And in training today (yesterday), I would really like to talk to the players because so far I have been getting a nice vibe and we now need this Jamaican team to go out there and give 110 per cent… but we are Jamaicans and we know what we can do and we have to just go out there and fight,” he said.Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson heads towards the team bus ater exiting the arrival terminal in Panama City, Panama, yesterday.Members of the Reggae Boyz team arrive at their hotel in Panama City, Panama, yesterday. (PHOTOS: JOSEPH WELLINGTON)

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"I want to make Jamaica proud," — Tuffy