Jamaican-based Trinidad and Tobago men's team footballer Nathaniel 'Natty' James says his father, Mark, is his biggest inspiration and the reason why he is a professional footballer.
James, 19, sealed a move to Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy in September. On September 7, the La Horquetta youngster threw himself in the national limelight as he scored a winning goal after coming on as a substitute in TT's Concacaf Nations League A game versus Curacao at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. It was only James' second cap at senior level. His first appearance for the 'Soca Warriors' came in a friendly versus Jamaica at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Jamaica back in March.
His impact on the international stage was immediate, but Natty is not new to goal-scoring. The diminutive attacker has been doing it for fun for all of his young career.
James credits his father for his monumental impact on his career and his life.
'My father is my biggest coach. He taught me a lot in football and my father is the reason my technique is so good,' James told Newsday. 'He would be with me on the football field in Phase 5 La Horquetta through the sun or rain - any weather.
'He is the reason I'm a footballer to be honest. He took something l liked and made me simply the best version of myself as a footballer. My father made sure l stayed focused and got my education. He made sure I got my CXC passes in case anything went wrong with the football.'
As a footballer, Mark wasn't too bad himself. He played on a Malick Secondary team which featured former national players such as Arnold Dwarika and Gary Glasgow. Mark helped Malick to a national intercol crown, and often teases Nathaniel about it. The younger James's Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) career with Queen's Royal College was cut short by covid19, which effectively stopped the SSFL and other competitive leagues in TT from 2020 to 2021.
In the down time, James honed his skills. He is now reaping the rewards.
At the June 2022 Concacaf under-20 championship, James was a revelation for TT. He scored four goals in the tournament and also registered three assists as TT made the round of 16 stage before being knocked out by Costa Rica. With the ability to play on either flank or through the middle as a 'number nine,' James scored twice in a gripping 4-4 draw with Haiti in the opening match. He then came off the bench against Suriname to score a pair of goals in TT's final group match to seal their spot in the knockout round.
On that under-20 team, James rubbed shoulders with players such as Molik Khan, Kassidy Davidson and the Fatima College pair of Christian Bailey and goalkeeper Tristan Edwards. All four players represented TT at under-15 level and emerged from the TT Football Association (TTFA) youth elite programme which was overseen by St Lucian coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, a stalwart at TT club W Connection for many years.
James said he learnt a lot under Charles-Fevrier and credited him with his tactical d
