Pumped-up Scarlett back in local football
AFTER a three-year absence, former Reggae Boy and Harbour View left-back Robert Scarlett made his return to top-flight local football with Boys’ Town in their crucial final first-round game against Portmore last Monday at Ferdie Neita Complex.
Despite hanging up his boots for a few years, Scarlett, who played over an hour, made a relatively seamless comeback to the game. And now the wily full-back is hoping to help Boys’ Town go all the way in the Premier League title race this season.
“It has really been a long time out of the football world,” Scarlett told the Jamaica Observer following the game against Portmore.
“It was my friends who motivated me because they said they wanted to see me play at least two more seasons before I’m done with it,” said the footballer-now-turned producer.
However Scarlett who spent his entire local career at the east-Kingston based Harbour View and only left the club for stints abroad with Spartak Moscow and Real Salt Lake, said it felt good playing competitive football once again.
The 33-year-old said he expected a more difficult comeback, but noted that the league appears much easier now.
“This (Portmore game) is my first match and I didn’t have a lot of problems, so as the season goes on you can expect some better games from me because I am ready. And right now I am focused on winning the league with Boys’ Town,” he said.
Scarlett, popularly known as ‘Little Bibi’ due to his similar playing style to Ricardo Gardner, said a lot of people have questioned his commitment to playing regularly and consistently.
However, he said he has given his full commitment to the Red Brigade and will not be going back on his word.
“It makes no sense to start playing and not thinking about the work seriously,” he said. Right now I don’t see any teams playing great football… because I should have been tired from the first 15 minutes (of Portmore game) and I wasn’t tired at all,” he declared.
“All I have to do now is work and train hard and I will be moving up and down the flanks more frequently, like I used to,” he stated.
“This was my first game and I’m just glad to make the comeback… now my only intention is to win the National League with Boys’ Town,” he added.