Ryon Jones | Jamaica Gleaner
It has been a year now since national right fullback, Eric Vernan, played his last competitive match in the Red Stripe Premier League. This after he sustained an injury to his left knee during an encounter with Waterhouse while representing Harbour View on January 7, 2013.
“I was in so much pain, I was knocked out and had to be rushed to hospital immediately,” Vernan recounted.
He came close to calling it quits on his career several times during his treatment and would have done so had it not been for the support of persons around him.
“I was thinking of going to school and forgetting about football, but the support of Harbour View, the coaching staff, fans and my mother kept me going,” Vernan shared. “I was used to regular playing and starting and looking forward to games every Sunday and Wednesday and instead I had to be going to physiotherapy and all of that; it was really difficult.”
Vernan had made a positive start to life as a Harbour View player, scoring two goals and making eight assists in his first 20 league appearances, having made the switch from Portmore United at the beginning of the 2012-13 season. The injury, however, resulted in him being sidelined for the last 18 rounds and he is yet to feature this season, which is 18 rounds old.
Rehabilitation
The 26-year-old, who won two league titles during his four seasons with Portmore, underwent surgery in February last year and is now into the final stages of his rehabilitation.
“I am 95 per cent ready, I have started training and I’m in the gym,” Vernan disclosed. “It was really rough because this was my first serious injury. The rehab, physical therapy and everything has been really, really rough, because I have had to be in the gym day in and day out to strengthen my knee.”
The injury came during the country’s unsuccessful 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, resulting in him failing to add to his 29 caps, which had yielded three goals, as well as blighted his chances at a second overseas contract.
“It was really difficult to have gotten injured during a time when the country was taking part in the World Cup qualifiers and not being able to play a part in it,” Vernan said. “I was supposed to leave and go to Scotland for a trial just before I got injured. I got injured the Monday night and I was supposed to leave the Thursday.”
The former Glenmuir High School student, who helped them to the triple crown in 2004, is eyeing a March return.
“I can’t wait to get fit and start playing again,” Vernan expressed. “Harbour View is in the club championships and the round will be out here in Jamaica in March, so that’s my aim right now to get fully fit so I can take part in that with the team and I also want to get back overseas.”