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JAMAICA CALLING
Such blistering form to go with his blistering pace also saw Turgott receive his first-ever call-up to the Jamaica national team, whom he debuted for in June, and whom he represented a month later in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.
“It was about November or December time last year, and I got a call from some of the players in Jamaica, just messaging me to ask if I’d be interested,” the 27-year-old recalls.
“It was great to actually get the call itself to play and represent my country. My first game was in Japan and that was an amazing experience, and then from there we went to the Gold Cup, and that was unreal out in the United States.
“It was unbelievable. I remember watching the Gold Cup as a kid, and to be there, playing in it – name on the back of the shirt, singing the national anthem of your country – it’s a massive thing. It made everyone so proud.”
Patience paid off for Turgott, who advises every aspiring young footballer – like him – to back themselves and keep faith.
“There’s so much advice I would give, but to put it in a nutshell based on my career… West Ham was like my home, and so that was my biggest struggle: leaving.
“It was then about finding myself and finding the player I am. You’re going to get rejections in football, ups and downs, but the main thing is that you’ve got to make sure you can always look yourself in the mirror and say ‘I’m doing everything I can.’ Those experiences can only make you into a better person.
“The main thing is just staying loyal to yourself and making sure every time you go out onto the football pitch, you give a hundred per cent to try to improve every day.
“Time goes quickly in life, but it goes even quicker in football. I look back on West Ham and sometimes I think it was just the other day, even though I left seven years ago!
“I took the long way around, for sure, but it just makes it even sweeter now that I’m getting my rewards – and at the end of the day, there’s still more to add to my story.”
