Young Trinidad and Tobago striker Darryl Roberts arrived at Sparta Rotterdam on Wednesday morning to begin his 18-month contract will take part in his first session with the Dutch Premier Division club tomorrow (Thursday).
The 23-year-old Roberts who caught eyes during the recent Digicel Caribbean Cup while playing up front for T&T, agreed to his new contract with Holland’s oldest professional club last month but only left these shores on Tuesday after obtaining his work permit the previous day. His deal was done through the efforts of MLF Sports with agent Heather MacKenzie involved and she was also there to ensure Roberts’ arrival was a smooth one at the club.
Roberts, not really the vocal type, said he was looking forward to his first session with the Reserve team on Thursday but has been given the indication by the club’s head coach Willjen Rooulet that he will be in line for selection for the first team which has eight games to go in the current season.
“I arrived today and things have gone smoothly so far. I have my first training session in the morning and that’s when things really start kicking,” Roberts told TTFF Media on Wednesday.
“The welcome was a warm one and now it’s a matter of settling at the club itself. The manager wants to see how well I fit in. They have eight more games this season and I think my selection will depend on how I perform in the training sessions. There will be a eleven v eleven tomorrow and the coaches will be looking on. I know I have to perform to make the first team,” added Roberts, who is also an ex-Fatima College player and recently turned down a draft pick with new MLS team Toronto FC.
The former Malta Carib Alcons trainee and Liberty College striker went on to say that the first breakthrough for him was getting into the European scene as he sees it a step up in term of the level of preparations he expects to undergo.
“Right now it’s also about gaining experience for me. I am willing to work hard and see what happens from there. Just getting into a club like this in Europe is a good step. It’s a first step for me and I know there will be a lot more to go after,” he said. He is expected to be given his shirt number later this week.
Roberts also comes from family with a sporting background with his grandfather Roland Cleveland being a footballer with Cyclones and referee from Arima. His father Wayne Roberts was also an avid footballer and his mother Cheryl is a former netballer and current physical education teacher at St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph.
Sparta has won six Dutch National titles and the Cups. Sparta was first founded in 1887 but only turned to football a year later after several ex-members of the old Sparta founded a cricket club called Sparta. In 1888 was when a football branch of the club was established.