WHEN approaching the twilight of your semi-pro football career, the last thing you would expect is an international call-up, writes NEAL HARRINGTON. But that is exactly what happened to Colchester-based Ryan Charles, who is now an international for the Caribbean island paradise of St Lucia. Rangy wing wizard Ryan, 29, was called up for two internationals against St Martin this month in the Concacaf Nations League B Group B.
Bishop's Stortford forward Ryan, nicknamed Spider, started both matches at St Lucia's Daren Sammy Cricket Ground as a 2-1 win was followed by a 4-0 defeat. Walthamstow-born Ryan, who lives at Prettygate, qualifies through the grandfather on his mother's side being born in St Lucia. He said: "It's been an amazing experience.
I've been too excited to be nervous. The family are proud of me." Ryan relished the five-star luxury experience.
"It's the best I have eaten probably ever! I wasn't expected to start the matches. "The intensity is the main thing - it can be at 100mph. The warm-ups are ten times harder in intensity.
A lot of tactics are involved. It's more of a state of mind, you think in a different way. " It was a chance for Ryan to catch up with Carlisle defender Terell Thomas, the St Lucia captain.
They were members of the same Arsenal under-sevens squad. Despite the mixed results, St Lucis lead their group by two points from Curacao. They will be hoping to secure promotion to League A with matches against Curacao and Grenada in mid-November.
Promoti.