Eighty-plus national appearances were hardly a cure for the uneasiness Andy Williams felt as he took the field for Jamaica's recent friendly football international against St Vincent and the Grenadines.

After nearly three years of largely self-imposed national team exile, the veteran, long respected for his composure on the field, had been nudged out of his comfort zone.

"Of course I was nervous," Williams admitted with a laugh yesterday. "It's been a while since I felt like that."

He had plenty reasons to be. It was his first game for the Reggae Boyz since retiring in frustration, following the 2005 Gold Cup in the United States. In addition, the match was being played at the National Stadium where vociferous supporters at 'The Office' can be as intensely kind to their favoured Boyz as they are cruel when they fail to live up to their expectations.

For Williams, everything was almost brand new. He arrived in the Boyz' camp two days before the game, enough time for one to "basically walk through" a training session. Except for a few familiar faces, like Ian Goodison, Deon Burton, Donovan Ricketts and captain Ricardo 'Bibi' Gardner, most of his teammates were playing alongside him for the first time. His role was a bit different too - a variation from the bold, goal-hungry approach of former years which had earned him the nickname 'B****er'. Williams took no chances.

"I was going out there not to make mistakes," he said. "Keep it simple."

While public reviews of his performance were mixed - Williams graded himself "about a C-plus" - Jamaica's technical director René Simoes appears satisfied. Simoes has invited Williams to rejoin the Boyz for the two qualifiers - June 15 and 18 - against The Bahamas in Jamaica, although the midfielder had to return to his US Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake (RSL) after the St Vincent game, missing friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.

It appears the B****er is back, and he's enjoying himself, even if Williams is still surprised by his fortune.

"It was kind of surreal," he said about his recall, despite playing regularly for RSL. "I didn't really expect to be there, but I appreciated the invite. It's fun, pretty cool."

Part of his apprehension related an old disagreement with Simoes, which began during the Brazilian's last stint in Jamaica. But fences were quickly mended after coach and player met following a recent RSL game.

"We just washed all the bad vibes under the table," Williams said. "Both of us."

In his recent short stint in the Boyz' camp, Williams noticed the Brazilian's approach is different from the 1998 campaign when he led Jamaica to World Cup finals in France. Experience, it seems, earns respect.

"It's kinda funny," Williams said. "Coach Simoes liked talking to the seniors (back then), like (the late Peter) Cargill, (Theodore) 'Tappa' (Whitmore) and (Linval) 'Rudy' (Dixon). So this time around he was talking to me a lot more."

With that respect should come more responsibility for the 30-year-old. Against St Vincent, Williams said he was asked to help channel the youthful aggression of the team to fit the coach's demand for more ball possession. It was like reviving the old Whitmore/Cargill role. But Williams said he's ready to make any adjustment the team needs, reminding THE STAR that he did exactly that during the 1998 campaign.

"(Simoes) wants a certain amount of passes each game and for me to control the pace of the game," he explained.

"In '98 I started as a forward, then moved to attacking midfield where I was pushing and trying to score more then. He's looking for someone to control things now."

Williams is keen to make other adjustments as well, like getting to know his new teammates. He agrees with Simoes that the Boyz' talent pool may be deeper than in 1998 when Jamaica qualified for the World Cup with Williams as a 20-year-old.

"It's much better now," he said. "There are about 20 overseas-based and 10 locals (in camp)."

In '98 it was the reverse. Yet Williams is already impressed with local-based youngsters like Evon Taylor. The teenaged midfielder's debut against St Vincent was enough to convince him that Taylor "has potential, and could be just as good as 'Bibi'."

Williams is content now, coming out of retirement, hoping he can contribute in a big way to Jamaica's bid to qualify for World Cup 2010 in South Africa. It's partly to prove he can still play at the highest level, after such a long layoff, and partly to reward those who believe in him.

"I'm pretty happy with the situation I'm in," said the 10-year MLS veteran, who has scored a dozen goals for Jamaica. "I appreciate the fact that Simoes is willing to take a chance on me. It's my chance to repay the faith of the coach and the public."

However, Williams is not expecting another bout of nervousness for future matches, which should allow him to assert himself more.

"There are a lot of games coming up," he said. "It's just for me to get used to being back in the national team ... Once I feel more comfortable you'll see the old Andy again."

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.