T&T senior national football team target, Minnesota United FC goalkeeper Dayne St Clair, missed out on claiming the Canadian’s Men’s Youth International "Player of the Year".
St Clair was shortlisted among the five nominees along with Kamal Miller (Orlando City SC), Alistair Johnston (Nashville SC), Michael Baldisimo (Vancouver Whitecaps) and New England Revolution’s Tajon Buchanan, the latter of whom was the eventual winner when the announcement was made on Tuesday.
The Canadian Youth International "Players of the Year" Award celebrates Canada’s top two youth men's and women's players. Due to the lack of international competitions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the list of men’s nominees was comprised of Canadian Under-23 players.
While St Clair has represented Canada and all youth levels, he has not don their senior men’s team colours and could be set to be caught in a T&T/Canada tug-of-war battle for the rights to his international service.
His father, Fabian Wayne St Clair, who like his son, was a goalkeeper, grew up in Sangre Grande, T&T before migrating to Canada while his mother Julie, is Canada-born.
The 23-year-old Toronto-born Pickering resident, St Clair has featured in 13 matches so far this season for the Loons, winning six, drawing five and suffering two defeats while accumulating six clean sheets, and conceding 12 goals.
St Clair was selected seventh in the 2019 MLS Super Draft and joined the Loons from the University of Maryland, where he led the Terrapins to the 2018 NCAA National Championship.
He went on loan to Minnesota’s United Soccer League (USL) affiliate Forward Madison where he made five appearances in 2019.
His only appearances for the Loons came in international friendlies during 2019, playing against Hertha Berlin, Aston Villa and CF Pachuca.
He was expected to be loaned to San Antonio FC in the USL for this season but was recalled and after a few injuries in the goalkeeping department for the Loons replaced fellow Canadian-born, Gregory Ranjitsingh in goal.
During his collegiate career, St Clair did not allow a goal in the final 500 minutes of the last season and at Maryland worked with coach Sasho Cirovski, who is known for his work with current USA men's national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen.