Having coached Wolmer’s Boys standout midfielder Rojay Smith, during his two-year stint at the Heroes Circle-based school, Harbour View FC’s coach Ludlow Bernard remains impressed with the player’s easy transition into the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) set-up.
Bernard coached Wolmer’s to the 2012-13 Walker Cup knockout title and now backs Smith to be a regular Harbour View player.
“The transition for him would have been quite significant. I remember in 2012 when he was playing in the Under-17 competition, you would have seen certain limitations, but having been exposed to quality football, both at Wolmer’s Boys and again playing at Harbour View against senior and experienced players, his improvement, I would say, has doubled if not tripled over time,” the Harbour View coach noted during yesterday’s RSPL press briefing held at the sponsor’s head office on Spanish Town Road.
Meanwhile, Smith has played a total of five games so far this season for Harbour View and said he is eyeing a regular starting role. “I am playing with more senior players now and I want to reach up to their level, so I have to lift my standard.
“When I just started out I was on the bench. Now I am in the starting 11, so progress is there,” said the attacking midfielder.He stressed that the RSPL competition is much more physical than the Manning Cup but he intends to give his best for his team. “I would rank my transition at 5 out of 10 because there is always room for improvement. I just need to be more attacking and link up more with the forwards. We have a problem scoring goals, so we midfielders need to step up and start scoring more goals for the team,” he pointed out, adding that playing in the RSPL is something he always yearned for.
Source: Jamaica Gleaner