FORMER National Under-17 and Harbour View Under-20 footballer Romario Williams, who was drafted number three by the Montreal Impact, said he was not surprised because he had put in the hard work.
Williams, 20, along with fellow Jamaicans Sergio Campbell (Columbus Crew) and Oneil Fisher (Seattle Sounders), have all been drafted by teams in Major League Soccer (MLS) from the SuperDraft last week Thursday.
Williams, who played Manning Cup for Kingston College a few years ago, was signed by the Montreal Impact from the University of Central Florida as the number three draft pick.
He is described as a robust box-to-box midfielder having played as a forward on a number of occasions.
He was a part of Jamaica’s U-17 team that participated at the 2011 World Cup in Mexico. That’s the last Jamaican team to play in any FIFA World Cup tournament.
“Words can’t explain how happy I am. Firstly, I have to thank God for blessing me with the incredible opportunity, without Him it wouldn’t be possible,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
“To be drafted at number three in any draft is pretty special. A lot of hard work was done over the years of my college career and it feels good to know that my hard work has paid off,” said Williams.
“But this is the only the beginning. The ultimate work starts now and I’m just excited to get up to Montreal and get to work,” he added.
Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 182 pounds, Williams who scored 17 goals in 34 games in his final two seasons at Central Florida, praised the Canadian team’s coach for having faith in him.
“A big thank you to coach Frank Klopas and all the guys on the technical staff and front office for believing in me. I’m sure I’ll only give nothing but my best for everyone out there in the city of Montreal,” said Williams.
“To be drafted was always a goal for me ever since I came to college. Luckily for me, I’m blessed to be a part of the Global Premier Management group run by Patrick McCabe and Damani Ralph as my agent. They were the ones who made this possible. I appreciate all the hard work they’ve put into this process and a big thank you to them,” he added.
Williams, who was born in 1994 and was named after the legendary Brazilian Romario who led his country to World Cup victory that year, also thanked his parents for their support.
“I just want to thank my parents, Patrick Williams and Andrea Matthews, for being great models for me and showing me the way. To all family, friends, coaches, and relatives, I just want to thank them because they played a huge role in my success by giving me that strong support system that everyone needs. A big thanks to you all,” said Williams.
Meanwhile, Sergio Campbell was selected number 19 of the first round by the Columbus Crew from the University of Connecticut. The 6-foot, 3-inch, 23-year-old defender was a member of Jamaica’s winning Caribbean Cup team in 2010 and he is also the nephew of Jamaican skipper Rudolph Austin.
Fischer, formerly of St George’s College, was the 40th pick of the second round by the Seattle Sounders and he will now join fellow Jamaican Damion Lowe at the Western Conference Team.
On August 11, 2010, Fisher made his international debut for Jamaica in a 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. He also played for the Under-20 national team in the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Guatemala. The 5-foot, 10-inch, 23-year-old utility player can play anywhere in the midfield or defence as he offers flexibility and mobility to the team.
Source: Jamaica Observer