Preston North End’s Daniel Johnson has chance of going to Gold Cup after Jamaica call-up

Preston midfielder Daniel Johnson is a step closer to his first international action.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st May 2019, 10:47 BST
Updated 21st May 2019, 11:47 BST
PNE's Daniel Johnson with Brentford's Moses Odubajo in the final game of the season (photo: Getty Images)PNE's Daniel Johnson with Brentford's Moses Odubajo in the final game of the season (photo: Getty Images)
PNE's Daniel Johnson with Brentford's Moses Odubajo in the final game of the season (photo: Getty Images)

Johnson has been named in Jamaica’s provisional 40-man squad for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer.

The Reggae Boyz will cut the squad to 23 players in the first week of June.

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At the age of 26, Johnson is a late arrival on the international scene.

He was born in Jamaica but has not really been looked at by them in the past.

It is four-and-a-half years since he joined North End for £50,000 from Aston Villa and he has gone on to play 185 games.

In the season just ended, Johnson made 29 starts in all competitions and came off the bench nine times.

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His form was inconsistent but he started 11 of the last 12 games.

Johnson scored seven goals, including the winner against Blackburn at Ewood Park in March.

If he makes the cut in the Jamaica squad, he can look forward to games at the group stage against Honduras, 
El Salvador and Curacao.

Jamaica are one of three host countries for the Gold Cup together with Costa Rica and the United States.

The final will be held at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

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If Johnson does go to the Gold Cup, he would not be the first Preston player to feature in the Jamaica squad.

Ricardo Fuller and Claude Davis were regulars for the Reggae Boyz during Craig Brown’s time in charge at Deepdale.

They were joined by Omar Daley, while a few years later, Keammar Daley had a spell with North End.

The most recent PNE player to be in the Jamacia squad is Chris Humphrey.

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He played in the 2015 Gold Cup, with Jamaica beaten in the final by Mexico.

Were Johnson to go to the Gold Cup, it could mean a late return to pre-season training at Preston.

The tournament group stages start on June 15 and the final is on July 7.

North End are due back in training in the last week of June, with the season having an early start on August 3.

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Together with Johnson’s Jamaica call, PNE have Alan Browne, Callum Robinson and Sean Maguire on international duty this summer.

They are in the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against 
Denmark and Gibraltar.

To prepare for those games, the Irish are training in Portugal this week.

Related topics:Daniel JohnsonPrestonCraig Brown