Jamaica Skipper Mariappa Signs for Watford

August 31, 2016 Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rüdd

Defender finds new club after being given the boot by Palace

Adrian Mariappa’s summer of torment is over after signing for Premier League outfit Watford. The 29-year-old central defender, the captain of Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz, was released by Premier League outfit Crystal Palace this summer.

Mariappa made just three appearances for Palace last season – as right-back against Leicester City (76 minutes), as centre-back versus Manchester United (90 minutes) and again at centre-back versus Southampton (90 minutes). Following his Palace release the rumours were rife that London-born Mariappa, who is of Fijian descent, was destined to join the once mighty Scottish giants of Rangers – only for the deal fail to materialise north of the border.

Being a free agent, and therefore not demanding a transfer fee nor a complicated club contact, should have been an incentive for interested sides – but the offers had not been flooding in, with only Championship side Leeds United touted as his next club.

He had been at Palace for three campaigns following a £3m transfer from Reading, where he played only one season after being snapped up for £3.2m from Watford.

Yet Mariappa made just 49 appearances for Palace, totalling 3,949 minutes on the pitch.

And 39 of his appearances in a Palace shirt were in the Premier League, with only a single goal to his credit.

He had been expected to sign for Hull City, but with the club in turmoil and expected to be shortly sold to a Chinese ‎consortium, they have missed out on the defender.

Mariappa is an experienced international having played 41 tines for the Reggae Boyz, and competed in all three group-game defeats at this summer’s Copa America Centenario.

He is currently in Panama with the Boyz for Friday’s World Cup qualifier.

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