Star goalie with TT roots eyes Canada call-up

HIS dream is to earn the highest honours at club level and to represent Canada, but in default of that, there is the a chance that highly-rated Dayne St Clair will consider representing TT, his father’s birth-home.

St Clair, who turns 22 on May 9, was quickly snatched up by Minnesota United at last month’s Major League Soccer (MLS) Superdraft as the seventh overall pick – the earliest a club came calling for a goalkeeper in the draft in four years.

A player for Canada at the youth level, St Clair attracted attention for his prowess between the uprights, especially last year.

So much so that a call-up to Canada’s senior team might be just a matter of time.

“I have thought about playing for Canada’s senior team as I have played for Canada at various youth ages, he said.

But if not, he was asked, would he consider a TT call-up?

“I would consider playing for TT if I was not with Canada’s programme. That (a place on TT’s senior team) is not something I am willing to commit to at this point in time.”

St Clair, who enjoyed several outstanding seasons for University of Maryland, was in hot demand by MLS clubs after he was named the most outstanding defensive player during Maryland’s NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament national championship run last year.

What drew major attention to him was the fact that he won that title without conceding a single goal in their five matches.

Before his college football career, St Clair played football with Vaughan SC, helping the club to the semi-pro League1 Ontario title.

He did so with ceaseless encouragement from his parents, Julie and Fabian Wayne St Clair, the latter of whom grew up in Sangre Grande and, like Dayne, was a goalkeeper.

“My parents and I were very happy for me to start my new journey in Minnesota,” he said.

He arrived in Minnesota one week after the draft but said he has “not fully settled in yet.”

“We have been travelling a lot for pre-season and I haven’t been in Minnesota for much time.”

Minnesota United, however, are surely pleased with what they’ve seen thus far from St Clair.

Reports out of the US indicate St Clair “played like a seasoned veteran” when Minnesota United defeated New York City FC 1-0 in a pre-season cup match last week.

“St. Clair helped preserve Minnesota United’s clean sheet against NYCFC, turning away multiple chances from the Pigeons and securing the Loons’ second win of the Orlando City Invitational,” wrote prosoccerusa.com in its match report..

Based on his experience in Canada’s youth teams, his current form and the hype surrounding him, there is every reason to believe St Clair will be a full senior Canada international sooner rather than later.

St Clair was born in Toronto but grew up in Pickering, a small city in southern Ontario.

Being a half-Trinidadian, he could pick up the accent, so he knew who he was flocked by in that part of Canada.

“Growing up in the GTA (Greater Toronto area) is a region that is highly influenced by Caribbean culture so that, and the combination of my dad (being from TT) has made me very familiar with the culture.”

And because the family would travel to TT regularly, his father never needed to talk about his birthplace at length, St Clair said.

St Clair is left-footed, a feature unusually common among world-class goalkeepers, like his favourite growing up – Iker Casillas – and the keeper he admires most now – Manchester City’s Ederson.

The imposing 6’3” player said he played around the park before settling into the position as goalkeeper, following in his father’s footsteps.

St Clair is currently focussed on his immediate personal growth, his club and eventually playing for Canada.