Legendary keeper leads the line at Carolina Core
Donovan Ricketts' journey from Jamaica to the touchline in the Carolinas
After searching for a new manager at the end of the 2024 campaign, I wondered if Carolina Core FC would hire from within, considering the wealth of Concacaf talent they had on the coaching staff. Sure enough, they announced that Donovan Ricketts would step into the managerial role, and I couldn’t wait to connect with him and bring this story to you all!
Before becoming a coach, which as you’ll read was never on his radar, Donovan had a legendary career, amassing 100 caps for the Reggae Boyz, over 100 caps in English club football, and becoming one of the greatest goalkeepers the MLS has ever seen.
How did he crack into the national team? How did his move to England come about? What motivates him? We will discover all that and more - let’s dive in!
Growing up in Montego Bay, going to a World Cup, and having an inextricable link to Brazil
Donovan was born into a family of 12 brothers and 5 sisters with a father who was into soccer. That is where his passion came from. Like anybody who loved soccer growing up in the 80s, there was only one person you wanted to emulate…Pelé. It was no different for Donovan - despite making his name as a goalkeeper, all he wanted to do as a kid was score goals like the legendary Brazilian.
There was just one problem: he wasn’t a great striker. He failed to make his U12 team. Since his brother made the team, Donovan would find himself at their practices from time to time. He shared, “Then one evening, the goalie didn't show up. And the coach at the time said, ‘Hey, you want to jump in?’ Just stand in goal for us. So I went in, and I had fun, man…I did everything. The following day, I went back, sat where I used to sit, and the coach said, ‘Hey, what are you doing? Get in goal.’ So that’s how it started.”
Despite finding joy and success in between the posts, when high school tryouts came around, Donovan went out for striker again…this time, he made it! This didn’t last long as he explained, “I came off the bench, and I missed the easiest goal in the world. The easiest goal and the coach said, you're never getting back on the field. I said, Well, funny enough, I used to be a goalie. So I went back in the goal after that and I have stayed ever since.”
Most in Jamaica during that time consumed their football content through a Sunday afternoon program that would show English football (usually Manchester United or Liverpool). Accessing these games and watching one player in particular helped Donovan catch a glimpse of where the beautiful game could take him.
“We got a TV…so now we started to see people on TV. And I remember Johnny Barnes played for Liverpool, and you know, he has a Jamaican background. So from then on, I started to dream that, hey, maybe we can get there too. So it started just by getting a TV and watching soccer on TV.”
After high school, Donovan had the chance to attend university while playing professionally for local clubs. He was one of the fortunate ones to make a bit of money while playing - it’s hard to imagine how many talented players out there cannot continue their dreams because of the economic realities in the Concacaf region.
During this season, he started getting opportunities with the U20 team in the Jamaican National Team setup. “It was a dream. Locally, every single person wanted to represent the national team because when you come back to your community, it's like your godlike status once you come back because you're a national representative”, he shared.
Brazilian manager René Simões was leading the Reggae Boyz at the time, and he came to watch the U20s play one Saturday. After the game, he approached Donovan and explained that the senior team was leaving for a trip to Brazil on Monday, and he wanted Donovan to join.
I asked him to share if he remembered what he felt at that moment: “You can't put it into words because you left your house to go play like an under-20 game. And after the game, it's like the national coach came to you and he's like, you're going to Brazil…on the ride back home it's like no talking, no words, because I just couldn't believe it.”
After that trip, Ricketts was a part of every team - including the Jamaican team that qualified for the 1998 World Cup. While he was a reserve keeper for that tournament, it is still the highlight of his career!
“From dreaming, to wanting to be like Pelé…then like the biggest soccer tournament on earth. You're a part of that tournament that you've seen on TV all your life. So it was amazing. We enjoyed the entire journey. I think the highlight of the tournament, even though we lost five to zero, was playing against Argentina to see all those international players…and to top it off, we won the game against Japan to make it an even better experience. You could not tell us anything. It's like we won the World Cup.”
After that World Cup, he spent the next several years playing for the Reggae Boyz and the domestic league in Jamaica. In October 2003, Jamaica traveled to England to face defending World Cup champions, Brazil, in a friendly. The Seleção didn’t send their backups; they sent their stars: Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Kaka, Cafu, and Roberto Carlos.
Being the opposing keeper against that lineup was nerve-wracking enough but it was made worse by Ricketts’ roommate. “Before the game, my roommate said to me, I feel sorry for you today, my friend. You're going to get battered. Imagine your teammate saying this to you,” he shared. Despite his teammate’s lack of confidence, Donovan explained to him, “There are two things that can happen. One, people can say, well, he was no good anyway. Or they're going to say, this is the best goalie we've ever seen in our lives.”
Outside of one of the most vintage Roberto Carlos goals you will ever see, Ricketts shut down the Brazilians and made several saves that got the crowd on their feet. The announcers that day declared him man of the match, and he caught the attention of numerous pundits.
A Sky Sports article after the game shared: “The score would have been heavier but for the heroics of Donovan Ricketts in the Jamaican goal…Ricketts continuously pulled off fine saves to restrict the Samba stars to a single goal at The Walkers Stadium” and my personal favorite describing his save after Ronaldo was sure to score, “The busy Ricketts undoubtedly pulled off his best save though from Ronaldo, who with his back to goal, sent two would-be defenders the wrong way with a neat little drag back inside the area and looked to pass it past Ricketts but the over-worked custodian stuck out an arm to frustrate his opponents for the umpteenth time.”
Below, you can find his highlights from the game:
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Reflecting on what he told his teammate pregame, Donovan explained, “Well, I wasn't the best goalie they've seen in their lives, but I had a very, very outstanding game. And I think that game kickstarted everything.”
Moving to England and braving the cold
Following his spectacular showing against Brazil, Donovan went on trial with various clubs in England and ended up signing with Premier League side Bolton Wanderers. As we discussed the transition, the misconception that players from Concacaf will struggle with the football in England came up. Most think it takes time to get used to the speed of play or the higher technical level, but that was not the case for Donovan. “The football was no problem because we played with the national team. We've seen different nations. We've seen different types of game, different speed, different everything. So the game wasn't the problem. It was just the culture and also the weather” he explained.
The weather and the culture could both be described as cold…a stark contract to life in Jamaica. “English humor is different from any other humor. So, yeah, just the culture and the weather was the biggest factor overall, because you can't feel your toes. You can't feel your fingers, your lips. Everything is numb.” He was thankful that his international teammate, Ricardo Gardner, was already with the club to help him settle into life in the UK. He shared, “There were no bad days, No bad days. It was freezing cold. Not what I'm used to, but that did not faze me one bit because I was so happy to be there.”
Things did not go as planned for him at Bolton Wanderers and he was loaned out to League One side Bradford City. After being a reserve keeper for most of the season, he started their final four games and leveraged that into a permanent move to the club.
His time at Bradford was marked by his relationship with manager Colin Todd. Donovan shared, “He took me under his wing like I was his son. that was to me that that was a part of the reason why I settled so quickly in Bradford.” Despite dealing with various injuries, Ricketts amassed over 100 caps over four seasons including a run of 80 straight league games.
During the end of his time at Bradford, they were relegated to League 2 and Queens Park Rangers (who were playing in the Championship at that time) lined up a move to acquire Ricketts. Unfortunately the deal fell through because of work permit issues and he returned to Bradford. Given their relegation and other financial turmoil, they wanted to cut his salary even further.
He returned to Bradford and was mostly kept out of the team. After attempting to return from international duty with Jamaica later that season, he was sent back due to further work permit and paperwork issues. It was not going to be possible to get a new work permit, so he made the decision to return home to Jamaica.
Reflecting on his time in England, he shared with me:
“Now looking back, you see all these places and the teams that you've played and some are even in the Premiership right now, like Brighton and Bournemouth…So those are just the things that you look back and you say, I played in those stadiums or played against those teams. Because trust me, on the journey, you're just focused on the day-to-day activities of just trying to get better, trying to do everything. It's when you stop playing, you look back and then the memories start flooding back. And now you can be like, I really played against this team and those players.”
Hollywood called and accolades followed
Back home, Ricketts continued to train with the national team and even played a few games with one of his former clubs, Village United. After one game he played with the national team, someone told him that Bruce Arena wanted to talk with him. “I'm like, all right, where's the phone?” he shared but it turned out Bruce was there in person. “So Bruce came to watch the game and he said we're interested in taking you to the Galaxy and I'm like, say less".”
Toronto FC were also interested in his services, but after talking with his teammate Tyrone Marshall (who had played for both clubs) he decided LA was his best option. After freezing for years in England, being in Southern California was a welcomed change, “Now I'm going to where movies are made, man. I'm going to LA” he said.
He joined a star-studded team in 2009 with the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan, and Edson Buddle. The team rolled through the season and won the Western Conference with Ricketts starting most of their games. After keeping a clean sheet in their conference final win, they faced off against Real Salt Lake in the 2009 MLS Cup.
Minutes into the second half, Donovan sustained a hand injury during a collision in the box. After carrying on for 20 more minutes, he was ultimately pulled from the game and the Galaxy went on to lose on penalties. This served as fuel and motivation for the 2010 season as the Galaxy won the Supporter’s Shield and Ricketts shut down the league with a club record 11 clean sheets and won the 2010 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award.
Although they didn’t win MLS Cup in 2010, the team reloaded and won the 2011 MLS Cup and Supporter’s Shield. Unfortunately for Donovan, he struggled with injuries throughout the year and appeared in less than half the club’s games. He was traded to Montreal at the end of the season.
Montreal was beginning their first season in MLS and for a variety of reasons, it wasn’t the right fit for Ricketts. He explained, “To be fair, my performances weren't like what they knew I could do. So there was a little bit of disconnect right there. I went to Jesse Marsch and I said, hey, it's not working out. I just, I need to be traded.” During the summer transfer window, he was traded to the Portland Timbers and he got his groove back!
After winning the starting job and helping secure the club the 2012 Cascadia Cup, he was ready to make an impact in his first full season. The Timbers added Diego Valeri in the preseason and that added offensive firepower paired with Ricketts having one of the best seasons for a goalie in MLS history, Portland won the Western Conference and made a run to the MLS Cup semifinals. For his part, Donovan was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year for the second time. At one point, he was even getting MVP chatter that year! We discussed how the move to Portland changed his career:
“It was like I found like a family. The players, they were like family. So that gave me another drive. It just brought everything back. So that was just the change. It wasn't the right time for me to be my best at Montreal. And once I went to Portland and then I found a family, like Futty Danso, Pa-Modou Kah, Rodney Wallace, and Darlington Nagby…So you're happy and you play the best football if you're alive, man.”
Another piece of that family atmosphere at the club…the fans! He mentioned the importance of the fans in Portland (which are considered some of the best in the league). The final piece of that puzzle was the manager, Caleb Porter, who had a profound impact on his time there. In a piece from the Timbers during that time he explained: “He gives you the confidence to go out there and express yourself…So that’s the reason why I’m here, it makes you want to try to repay the manager you play for.”
After playing another full season with the Timbers, Donovan was drafted by Orlando City SC in the expansion draft. After starting in goal for their inaugural MLS game, he played 9 more games before being brought back to the LA Galaxy by Bruce Arena. After having a renaissance year with the Galaxy at age 38, Ricketts retired as one of the greatest keepers in league history!
“I think there was a lot left on the table” with the Reggae Boyz
Before we wrapped up discussing his playing career, we talked about the rest of his career with Jamaica. From Gold Cup runs that fell short to his historic showing at the Azteca in 2013 where his Herculian clean sheet and helped earn the first ever point in Mexico for the Reggae Boyz.
When you play in Concacaf for as long as he did, you get to see it all. Often, fans of other confederations have no idea how difficult it can be to play in this region (especially during World Cup Qualifying). From the brutal heat in Central America, to water-logged fields in the Caribbean, to hostile crowds at many stops, it isn’t for the faint of heart.
Donovan shared, “It's a different environment, man. People throwing coins, people throwing all sorts of things. It's hostile. It's like you're in hostile territory. It's like really like you're at war. So that was one of the good things about the play in Concacaf. It's like it's war. But after the game, it's like we're just one people. Like it's just one Concacaf people. But for the game, it's war. That's the beauty of it.” That is probably one of my favorite descriptions of our confederation.
He reminisced on the talent and opportunities that Jamaica had during his 16-year tenure:
“I think there was a lot left on the table, because we played on talented teams with talented individuals…sometimes people bring egos with them from where they are. So there were ego clashes and all that. But I know every single player should have or will have regrets about the times that we spent in the national team because we could have created a bigger legacy than what we had because we shouldn't have just been to one World Cup…we could have been at multiple World Cups…in the end, it seems like we did a lot but we know we could have done a lot more.”
I had to ask about Jamaica’s current team (as I feel they are at risk of having the very same regrets his generation had). On their chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup, “I think this is our best chance yet. Because there's no Mexico to compete with. There's no USA and no Canada to compete with…Jamaica has assembled one of the better teams that we've had in a long time. So on paper, the talent is there.”
I think most would agree that the current Reggae Boyz are one of the most talented teams in the region (especially at the top-end of their roster). What will take them to the next step? He told me, “I think they just need to understand what that would mean for the country as a whole and just have that one single-minded vision to get to the World Cup. I think we would make it if they come together and just share that one common goal and be hungry to make it.”
Fighting stigmas and paving paths as a manager
As their playing careers wind down, many athletes already have their transition to the coaching ranks set up (and some even obtain licenses before retirement). This was not the case for Donovan. Why? Coaching meant dealing with players, and because he was a player he knew that dealing with different personalities, egos, and cultures is a tough job. He had no plans of entering the managerial ranks.
What changed for him? “It's the love for the game. And once you take that break, you start missing everything about the game. You start missing those needy people as well. So it's like, once you just stop and you take a break, then you're like, damn, I guess this is my calling” he explained.
He was living in Atlanta at the time and Emory University was looking for a goalie coach - so he jumped in! He began to really enjoy being back around the game and imparting his wisdom to the next generation of players. He went on to join FC Tulsa as their keeper coach and continued to add new tools to his repertoire through experience and coaching licenses.
During his time with FC Tulsa he earned to opportunity to be the interim head coach after they parted ways with Michael Nsien. This experience was crucial for Donovan and allowed him to oversee the whole team. This assignment also provided the opportunity to push back on the stigma that goalies don’t make good managers. Outside of Nuno Espírito Santo, Julen Lopetegui, and Bruce Arena, it is rare to find former keepers who become managers, let alone managers at the highest levels.
Donovan and I spoke at length about this stigma and why it’s merits are unfounded. He shared:
“I think it's a stigma that comes with the position. I think people say, you're a goalie, you're not on the field. But it's the opposite. We see everything on the field. And you have to organize every single section of the field, have to tell the wing backs when to go, when to tuck in, the midfield when to step, who to press, who to cover. The only persons you're not showing to are the strikers because they're so far away. You're organizing everything in front and you're seeing everything. So I don't know where that stigma came from, how that stigma started.
But I think that's why most goalies do not become coaches or head coaches, because of the stigma that comes with it…so for me, it's like once you start coaching, then everything starts to flood back to you. Now you can see the entire pitch, how you used to see it and how you want people to move…So all that experience just comes flooding back. So it's like you were made to be a coach.”
After his stint as the interim manager to finish the season, Ricketts stayed on the staff of the incoming manager. Ahead of the 2024 season, a new opportunity was brought to his attention by former Reggae Boyz teammate, Andy Williams, on a Zoom call with other former national team players. Andy started as the head scout at MLS Next Pro expansion side Carolina Core FC - they were looking for a goalkeeping coach. Donovan had been considering a change after 7 years in Tulsa. He sent his resume to Eddie Pope (Chief Sporting Officer, former USMNT player) and he got the gig.
In addition to Eddie and Andy, a few more Concacaf legends (Amado Guevara and Roy Lassiter) were also part of the project. On whether old stories of previous battles against one another as players ever come up, Donovan shared “It comes up every now and again. It's like you have a random flashback and you talk about it. But the only person that first started the conversation was Amado. And he came with his phone with a video of a PK that he scored against me in a national team game.”
As a Concacaf sicko, I would love to be part of that coaching room!
While they didn’t achieve some of their highest ambitions, it was still a successful season in many ways for the expansion club. Donovan built a great community and connection with the goalies which was crucial the improved performances down the stretch. This piece from the club showcasing the keepers speaks volumes to the mix of expertise and humility he brought to the group. These are just a few of the reasons he was the right fit to succeed Lassiter as head coach for the club.
Not only does this hire continue to help dispel the stigmas around former goalies as managers, it also continues to pave the path for former players from the Caribbean. In the last few years, we have seen the likes of Dwight Yorke (Trinidad & Tobago), Stern John (Saint Lucia), Ezra Hendrickson (St. Vincent & the Grenadines, formerly Chicago Fire), and Atiba Harris (St. Kitts & Nevis FA) rise to similar positions. Given this, I wanted to know if Donovan felt like a trailblazer of sorts for other aspiring managers from the Caribbean.
“Yeah, you can say that because just like we go back to the beginning, how we saw a John Barnes on TV and then we said, OK, that's what we want to be. We can do it. Now it's like we're opening up the international borders. Now we're not just doing it inside the Caribbean. We're now outside the Caribbean doing it. So I think it gives people that confidence to say, maybe we can be that we can do that, too. I think it opens the eyes and the vision of the other coaches to say, these guys are Jamaican, these guys are from Trinidad, and they're making their mark elsewhere. So maybe we can do it too.”
With this trailblazer status also comes the pressure to make the most of these opportunities. He spoke about the importance of turning these opportunities into success stories and not just another story - just like they did when they played. Their play opened doors for players, now the hope is their success can do the same for other Caribbean coaches. He explained, “Now people are seeing the Caribbean in a different way…so now it's up to the coaches that are involved right now to make their mark so they know that, these coaches can actually do the job. And then other coaches start getting the same opportunities.”
What are his plans with this new opportunity at Carolina Core FC this season? He believes paying more attention to the smaller details is crucial. The club finished the season very strong but a lot of dropped points throughout the year cost them a playoff spot.
He elaborated, “It's not about wholesale changes. It's just paying more attention to smaller details that we know little things that cost us points last season. How do we fix those things?…Now we have to put that work in to get to where we want to be…We have to show up in the little details because we missed the playoffs by a point or two. Now, if we pay attention to smaller details, now we start picking up points because those are vital. So it's not a lot of changes, but just more on the details.”
Player development is another key tenet for the entire Carolina Core project and for Donovan. He, along with many other staff members, have represented their national teams and played at the highest levels and that experience is such a valuable asset for young players to lean on. This development of the next generation of players is one if his “whys” for coaching. He shared:
“I think it's the love for the game and all the knowledge that you've garnered on the journey. You just want to get that knowledge out…So while I'm involved, I just want to be give all the knowledge I have and at the same time to see the team that you're coaching be the best that they can be. So that's just my why, just my love for the game and all this knowledge that's in my head. I just want it out.”
As Carolina Core FC prepares to kick off the their second season, there is a lot of excitement around the club. The fanbase in the North Carolina Triad is dedicated (they had the second highest attendance in MLS Next Pro in 2024), the players are settling in and the momentum they finished the season with has given them confidence to make a playoff push in 2025.
As we wrapped up our time, Donovan shared his message for the fans ahead of the new campaign:
“Come out and expect a team that's going to play their all for 90 minutes. We'll never promise a victory, but we promise that we'll give everything we have on every single game day. Everything we have because we know people take time away from whatever they're doing to buy the tickets, to spend their money, to go watch a product. And we want them to leave knowing that these guys tried their very best. To make sure the fans leave with a good product.”
I am very excited to see if Carolina Core FC can take the next step this year under Ricketts and if you are in the Carolinas, consider getting over to High Point for a game - you won’t regret it!
Before we wrap up, the gamers out there might be interested to know that off the pitch, Donovan enjoys playing Call of Duty on Xbox. If you find yourself at a game, maybe you can get his gamertag. If he’s half as good at Warzone as he was in between the posts, you’ll probably lose!