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Jamar Kasheef Loza (born 10 May 1994) is a Jamaican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Leiston.

He began his career at Norwich City, and made his league debut on loan at Coventry City in November 2013. He also had further loan spells at Leyton Orient and Southend United, before making his Premier League debut for Norwich on the last day of the 2013–14 season. He was loaned out to Yeovil Town in January 2015, Stevenage in October 2015, and Southend United in January 2016, before he was released by Norwich in June 2016. He made four appearances for the Jamaica national team in 2014.

Club career

Norwich City and loans

Jamar Kasheef Loza was born in Arnett Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica on 10 May 1994, and moved to the United Kingdom as a child. He began his career at Norwich City after coming through the youth team to win a professional contract. On 25 October 2013, he joined League One side Coventry City on a 28-day youth loan; "Sky Blues" manager Steven Pressley said that "Jamar is very quick but he's also very direct and very strong and he's the kind of player that would fit well into our system". He made his debut in the Football League on 2 November, in a 3–0 win over Notts County at Sixfields Stadium, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Callum Wilson. The Coventry Telegraph reported that Pressley planned to speak to Norwich manager Chris Hughton about extending the loan deal, though Loza ended up returning to his parent club at the end of the original 28 days. On 6 January 2014, he returned to League One on a 28-day loan at Leyton Orient. He made his debut for the "O's" the following day, and provided an assist for Moses Odubajo to score Orient's first goal in a 2–0 victory win over Shrewsbury Town at the New Meadow. Manager Russell Slade opted to extend the loan into a second month.

On 21 March 2014, Loza joined League Two side Southend United on a one-month loan. He made his debut against Oxford United on 24 March, in which he set up the first goal, won a penalty for the second, and then scored what manager Phil Brown described as a "great goal" to complete a 3–0 victory. He made his first team debut for Norwich as a 58th-minute substitute for Alexander Tettey in a 2–0 defeat to Arsenal at Carrow Road on 11 May; the defeat confirmed Norwich's relegation from the Premier League. In total he played 12 games in the 2013–14 season, appearing seven times for Southend, three times for Leyton Orient, and once each for Coventry and Norwich.

He signed a two-year extension to his contract, with the option of a further year, in June 2014. On 14 January 2015, Loza joined League One side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan. He featured in five games for Gary Johnson's "Glovers". He came off the bench for Norwich in the Championship on 17 March against Huddersfield Town at the Galpharm Stadium, and scored his first goal for the club eight minutes into injury time to secure a 2–2 draw. He played ten games in the 2014–15 season, five each for Norwich and Yeovil.

Loza joined Teddy Sheringham's League Two Stevenage on a one-month emergency loan on 1 October 2015. He returned to Norwich after two games for the "Boro", and scored five goals for the under-21s against Southampton under-21s, but manager Alex Neil admitted that the club's promotion to the Premier League reduced the chances for young players to earn first team opportunities. He returned to Southend United, now in League One, on loan for the rest of the 2015–16 season on 29 January 2016. He was released by Norwich upon the expiry of his contract in June 2016.

Non-League

Loza had a trial at League One club Port Vale in July 2016, but did not sign for the club. On 20 October 2016, Maidstone United announced they had signed Loza, and on the evening of 25 October 2016 he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Sutton United, in the National League.

On 5 October 2018, Loza joined National League South side Woking on a three-month loan.

On 19 June 2019, after a spell with rivals Billericay Town, Loza signed for Chelmsford City. On 20 September 2019, Loza returned to Woking on loan until January 2020. Once this spell ended, it was then extended until the end of the season. On 13 May 2020, Chelmsford announced the departure of Loza.

On 2 July 2020, Loza signed for King's Lynn Town. However his time was relatively short lived at the club as four months later he returned to one of his previous clubs Woking for an undisclosed fee on an 18 month contract. On 19 December 2020, Loza made his return to a Woking shirt, during their 2–1 home victory over Dover Athletic in their FA Trophy third round tie, replacing Dave Tarpey in the 56th minute. Two months later, he went onto score his first goal for the club upon his return, netting in the 28th minute during their 2–0 away victory over Barnet. Just a week later, Loza scored the all important goal to propel the Cards into the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, latching onto team-mate, Charlie Cooper's header before driving a well-worked solo effort past Torquay United goalkeeper, Marcin Brzozowski in the 37th minute. He went onto feature 46 times, scoring six goals before leaving the club at the end of his contract in July 2022. On 1 July 2022, Loza joined Barnet.

On 20 January 2023, Loza joined Dartford on an initial one month loan. In March 2023 he joined Cheshunt on loan until the end of the season. He was released at the end of the 2022–23 season having only made one appearance for Barnet.

On 23 July 2023, following his release from Barnet, Loza joined Leiston.

International career

Loza made his debut for Jamaica in a 2–2 draw with Egypt in a friendly at Brisbane Road on 4 June 2014; he entered the game as a substitute, replacing Simon Dawkins in the 84th minute. He was named by head coach Winfried Schäfer in the Jamaica squad for the 2014 Caribbean Cup; Jamaica hosted and won the tournament by beating Trinidad and Tobago on penalties in the final, Loza played in the Group Match against Martinique. He was called up to the under-23 side, and scored on his debut, a 6–1 win over Saint Lucia at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez on 24 June 2015 in a qualification game for the 2015 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship. He was named in the provisional squad list for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but did not make it onto the final squad.

Style of play

Speaking in June 2014, Norwich City manager Neil Adams described Loza as "a direct player who is lightning quick and can run with the ball, and he causes defenders a lot of problems". In an interview in January 2015, Loza stated that "I like to run in behind. I love scoring goals, but also I let the ball come to feet as well and link up with play".

Career statistics

Club

As of 28 November 2023

1. Appearance in Football League Trophy
2. ^ Appearances in FA Trophy
3. One appearance in the London Senior Cup
4. One appearance in the Kent Senior Cup

International

Honours

Jamaica

• Caribbean Cup: 2014

References

1. "Jamaica's 40 player provisional list to Copa Centenario". Jamaica Football Federation. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. Sherdon, Cowan (28 June 2015). "Reggae Boy Jamar Loza aims high". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
3. Connoll, Nick (25 October 2013). "City sign Loza on loan". Coventry City F.C. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
4. Connoll, Nick (2 November 2013). "Coventry City 3–0 Notts County". CCFC Official Site. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
5. Turner, Andy (20 November 2013). "Sky Blues keen to extend Jamar Loza loan spell". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
6. "Orient loan for Loza". Norwich City F.C. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
7. "Shrewsbury Town 0 Leyton Orient 2". BBC Sport. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
8. "Coulthirst returns to Spurs". Sports. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
9. "News: Jamar Loza joins Southend United". Southend United F.C. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
10. "Southend 3–0 Oxford". BBC Sport. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
11. Osborne, Chris (11 May 2014). "Norwich City 0–2 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
12. ^ "Games played by Jamar Loza in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
13. ^ Mouncer, Ben (23 June 2014). "Promising forward pens fresh Canaries deal". Norwich City F.C. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
14. "Jamar Loza: Yeovil Town sign Norwich City striker on loan". BBC Sport. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
15. "Huddersfield 2–2 Norwich". BBC Sport. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
16. ^ "Games played by Jamar Loza in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
17. "Jamar Loza: Norwich City striker joins Stevenage on loan". BBC Sport. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
18. Freezer, David (3 December 2015). "Five-goal Jamar Loza's wait for Norwich City first team chance reflects national problems". Eastern Daily Press. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
19. "Jamar Loza: Norwich City forward joins Southend United". BBC Sport. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
20. "Nine out-of-contract players to leave City". Norwich City F.C. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
21. Baggaley, Mike (30 July 2016). "Port Vale v Manchester United teams: Jamar Loza in Vale squad". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
22. "Maidstone United 1-1 Rochdale". Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
23. "Loza loan to Woking". Maidstone United F.C. 5 October 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
24. "City sign Loza". Chelmsford City F.C. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
25. "Loza joins Woking on loan". Chelmsford City F.C. 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
26. "Loza extends his loan". Woking F.C. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
27. "Jamar Loza departs Clarets". Chelmsford City F.C. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
28. "Jamar rejoins Cards". Woking F.C. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
29. "Woking vs. Dover Athletic". Soccerway. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
30. "Barnet vs. Woking". Soccerway. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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32. O'Sullivan, Daniel (18 May 2022). "2021/22 Retained and Released List". Woking F.C. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
33. "Jamar Loza becomes a Bee". www.barnetfc.com. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
34. "NEW SIGNING: Jamar Loza". www.dartfordfc.com. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
35. https://twitter.com/cheshuntfcscore/status/1639277430299848704?t=gTjX5dPBhAy0GHEcVbXjgA&s=19
36. "Retained List 2023". www.barnetfc.com. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
37. Bacon, Michael (23 July 2023). "Blues snap up Jamaican international, Jamar Loza". Leiston F.C. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
38. "Jamaica makes team changes ahead of Egypt friendly". CONCACAF.com. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
39. "JAMAICA VS. EGYPT 2 – 2". Soccerway. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
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43. Jamar Loza at Soccerbase
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48. "Player profile". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 10 July 2016.

• 1994 births
• Living people
• Footballers from Kingston, Jamaica
• Jamaican men's footballers
• Jamaica men's international footballers
• Men's association football forwards
• Jamaican expatriate men's footballers
• Expatriate men's footballers in England
• Norwich City F.C. players
• Coventry City F.C. players
• Leyton Orient F.C. players
• Southend United F.C. players
• Yeovil Town F.C. players
• Stevenage F.C. players
• Maidstone United F.C. players
• Woking F.C. players
• Billericay Town F.C. players
• Chelmsford City F.C. players
• Barnet F.C. players
• Dartford F.C. players
• Cheshunt F.C. players
• Leiston F.C. players
• Premier League players
• English Football League players
• National League (English football) players