'Dreamed of' - Charlton Athletic midfielder shares World Cup hope as he discusses Blackpool loan
Blackpool midfielder Karoy Anderson will battle for a place at the World Cup with Jamaica during the international break.
Karoy Anderson admits it’s hard to put into words what a place at the World Cup would mean - as the Blackpool midfielder prepares for a crucial qualifier with Jamaica.
The Reggae Boyz are in action against New Caledonia at the Akron Stadium in Mexico on Friday (K.O. 3am), with the winner of the tie facing Congo DR next week for a spot at this summer’s tournament across Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Anderson, who is on loan with the Seasiders from Charlton Athletic, has featured 18 times on the international stage since his debut in 2023, with five appearances coming off the bench in the recent qualification group, as Jamaica finished second behind Curacao - who secured an automatic place.
The 21-year-old admits it will be important not to dwell on the past, with his excitement clear ahead of a big opportunity for him and his teammates.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot,” he said.
“It’ll be really good if we qualify - it’d be quite unbelievable to be honest. There’s not many words you can put to it, you’ve just got to get the job done.
“It’s another opportunity to complete the goal that we want, and that’s getting to the World Cup. As much as we were disappointed that we didn't get through in the other stages, it’s another opportunity we can’t turn down or go into with any sadness.
“I watch it on TV every time it comes on, so to have the opportunity to qualify for it is something I’ve dreamed of.
“Football is pressure, you go out there and it’s about who wins at the end of the day - that’s something I learnt quite early on at Charlton. You have to focus on getting results. There’s a lot of pressure, but that’s why we’re here.”
Charlton Athletic man reflects on Blackpool loan spell
Anderson has been with Blackpool since the beginning of February, after making a Deadline Day move to Bloomfield Road.
While results have been tricky for the Seasiders, the midfielder believes he’s learnt a lot under Ian Evatt, with 10 games coming his way so far, including the recent 3-2 win over Port Vale and Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate away to Cardiff City.
“He’s a really good manager - tactically I’ve learnt so much in terms of the positions I should be taking up and what I should be doing on the ball,” Anderson added.
“Coming here has been really good for me, it’s been an opportunity to learn - I’m really grateful.
“Being a young player, I just want to play every minute I can and bring something to the team. It’s been a positive time.
“When you’re in this league, all that matters is the points. You can play well, but at the end of the day you want results, and in the last two games we’ve done that.
“You can tell by the energy of the group that it’s a lift. It’s a really good group, the togetherness is really good, we just need to transfer it to the pitch.”
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