McGrath hope to build on McGregor’s success – Thomas

Although his school is not traditionally known as a schoolboy football institution, McGrath High School head coach, Jermaine Thomas, says that past student Peter McGregor's move to Europe has put a positive spotlight on their schoolboy football programme and the institution at large.

The 20-year-old McGregor was unveiled yesterday as the newest member of Swedish club Djurgarden Football of the Allsvenskan league, the country's top-flight division on a season-long deal with an option to extend.

McGregor spent three years at the Linstead-based institution and was a critical factor in the team's run to the daCosta Cup semi-finals in 2019. Thomas believes that his move would elevate the profile of the institution and hopes that they can build on his success for other players at the institution.

"McGrath was never ever one of those top-tier schools in daCosta Cup or schoolboy football in general. But now seeing a youngster making a giant move like this without playing at the National Premier League or having a national camp, this is big news," Thomas told STAR Sports. "I think the school will benefit significantly from this. But a lot of it will come down to us and the school community as it relates to how we manage this process.

Thomas has witnessed McGregor's development from the start when he was coaching him at Waterford High in Under-14's and was immediately impressed by his talent.

"When I saw him at first, I was blown away with his athletic ability. He was very explosive, and his coordination was high and under pressure, he would be able to make solid decisions and that really drew my attention to him," Thomas said.

Experiencing challenges

Thomas would leave Waterford in 2016 and join McGrath a year later. With McGregor experiencing challenges at Waterford, his mother contacted Thomas and he then pitched the idea to McGregor to join him. Intensive physical training as well as tactical training helped his improvement and Thomas believes that he has all the tools to be successful. With no schoolboy football last year because of the pandemic, Thomas says that the news felt as if the youth football had returned.

"This great news it's like daCosta Cup being played. It kind of fills a void," Thomas said.

Djurgarden sporting director Bosse Andersson said that the club is committed to helping him develop into "a top player in Europe and for the Jamaica national team".