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With the official announcement from Norwich City this past Thursday that they had captured sought after striker Simeon Jackson, supporters of the Canadian Men’s National Team can breathe a sigh of relief that one of their most promising players will spend the 2010/11 campaign stepping up his level of competition.
Over the last year rumours had been abound that Jackson would move away from Gillingham, as early as last season’s January transfer window. A range of clubs from Everton and Wolves to Leeds and Queen’s Park Rangers tested the waters on what it might take so sign the proficient League Two and League One striker.
In the end it was Norwich who were able to pry away Jackson on a two-year contract from Gillingham for an estimated fee of $600,000, which could go as high as $1 million depending on his goal tally and promotion.
With Gillingham being relegated right at the wire, and only a year left on Jackson’s contract, the club had to move him now or risk losing him for nothing. For the 23-year old Jackson, to spend another season in League Two in a career that needs to continue to progress, leaving Priestfield was his only option.
For supporters of the Canadian Men’s National Team, the move to Carrow Road ticks many of the boxes one would want to see in a promising player who has plenty of potential and shown the ability to step up his game at each level he has played at.
Down the stretch of the 2009/10 campaign with Gillingham it became abundantly clear that even though Jackson was able to successfully shoulder the responsibility of main striker in League Two, in League One it proved much more difficult without adequate support.
The move to Norwich is one that, especially for Jackson, can fulfill many of his ambitions. He will be joining a side that can provide him the support up front with Grant Holt and Chris Martin combining for 41 goals last season. As well he is now a part of a club that is steeped in tradition of competing at the highest level, and although Norwich have settled into a strong Champsionship side over the last fifteen years, they have ambitions to return to the Premiership where they competed through most of the 70s and 80s.
One of the most important aspects of the move for Jackson is opportunity. At 23 years of age, coming from League One, a two-year contract at this level of competition is the right step in his development. He is moving up at the appropriate increment in competition and has signed on with a club where he can potentially become a part of their rise towards the Premiership. Jimmy Bullard is a player who comes to mind that began his career in the Conference, progressed to Second Division, then Championship, and has spent the last five in the Premiership.
The chance to be playing in the Second Division at his age is a significant achievement and one that should be looked at with optimism for the future. Jackson’s growth is far from complete, and recent 26-year old Everton signing Jermaine Beckford, Wolfsburg’s Grafite and especially Chelsea’s Didier Drogba are examples that there are many notable strikers who in their early 20s had not reached the pinnacle of their potential.
There were a small number of top-flight sides that showed interest in Jackson, however at his stage of development, a move to this level could have resulted in him rotting in the reserves or out on loan.
For supporters of the Canadian Men’s National Team you need to look no further than David Edgar. With plenty of potential and being a part of two Premiership sides since 2005, Edgar has only participated in the area of thirty matches in the last five years and yet to receive a senior cap. Ask any manager of a National side the factors in call-ups, the level of competition is one, but equally important is minutes played.
Jackson on the other hand, over the same period, has played in nearly two hundred matches and will likely get an opportunity to build on that this season. With Canada not due to play in a major tournament until 2011, the timing is perfect for him to concentrate solely on his new club and work towards elevating his game.
With such a small player pool playing at the highest levels to tap into, Canada will be pleased to see a promising player get the chance to move up in his development. It should be encouraging that if Jackson’s track record is any indication, he has been able to raise his game to the level of competition he plays in.
With the Gold Cup a year away, and 2014 World Cup Qualifying due to begin the following year, Simeon Jackson is moving up at the right time, to the right level for Stephen Hart too see if he can be an essential, contributing member of the National Team’s push for the next World Cup in Brazil."
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