"Just who is this Darryl Roberts boy holding the striking role for Trinidad and Tobago during the current Digicel Caribbean Cup?" That’s what has been crossing the lips of many a fan who have witnessed the recent matches of the hosts at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
He was on Thurday drafted by MLS club Toronto FC in the 2007 Supplimental Draft but it is not yet certain where Roberts will in fact go that way. The same goes for Osei Telesford who was drafted by Chicago Fire. Being drafted does not necessarily mean they will be contracted as thye will undergo a trial period before anything is officially done on paper, similarly to what Anthony Noreiga went through last season with Kansas City Wizards. Roberts is currently being eyed by Dutch club Rhoda FC. The 23-year-old native of Trincity has been around local football from the youth level but was never really one of those who caught the eye or grabbed headlines in the local press for numerous goals or fancy footwork during his days at Fatima College. But yes, he did play at the Intercol level with the North Zone team during 1998-2001 after transferring from El Dorado Junior Sec.
Roberts recalled: “Yeh, I did play Intercol for Fatima, I did in fact play schoolboy football in Trinidad before moving to the US. I started playing with El Do Junior Sec before transferring to Fatima”
It was during his local College days that he also was a member of the Malta Carib Alcons Coaching School and would line up in matches against visiting USA North Carolina-based team PSA Stars which were usually brought to Trinidad through Alvin Corneal and Alcons. The local club also traveled to play matches in the US.
“It’s when one of their coaches saw me that he was interested and I was offered a scholarship to Liberty College,” Roberts said.
“It just took off from there. I kept on working hard, playing games but I also had some injuries. I played from 2002-2006 at Liberty and then I got an invitation to join the national senior team for training in early 2004. It was a chance I will always remember. I trained with the team and it was a learning experience. I even got to be in the team for the first World Cup qualifier against Dominican Republic. I was on the bench for the first win,” Roberts reflected.
Before that though, he also made his debut alongside Dwight Yorke in a 3-0 loss to Northern Ireland in a friendly international at the Dwight Yorke Stadium. He replaced Anthony Rougier in the 76 th minute and Yorke was a guest player on the pitch at the time. Corneal had earlier recommended him to the then technical staff which included head coach Bertille St Clair with Richard Braithwaite as team manager.
“I remember that game. Wasn’t a good result for us but I got my first run then.”
Later on though, Roberts was injured again and was forced on the sidelines for sometime and it was a frustrating period for him. But the TTFF technical team kept tabs on him and he was again on the pitch in training camp in the USA where head coach Wim Rijsbergen felt he had seen sufficient stuff to call the young striker. He had also shown some promise in a Miami training camp last February as Leo Beenhakker continued his World Cup preparations.
Roberts though made a second half showing in the 1-1 draw with Barbados last Friday and then scored his first international goal for T&T in the 5-1 whipping of Martinique. He has supported and created well, showing his works in the 3-1 win over Haiti on Wednesday.
“Right now I’m thankful for the opportunity given to me and I am trying to make the best of it. I have just tried to play a settled game and follow instructions. All I really want to do is give my best effort and try to get help the team as best as possible,” Roberts added. “I don’t want to get caught up in any attention because I am still young in this team and I still have to grow a lot. I will support and do my best. But I have to learn as well.. you know… develop as a player,” he added.
Rijsbergen has already recognised his potential, giving credit where it's due, point out that he has to improve but purely for the sake of pushing for a regular role up front for his country.
Below is a profile published on the Liberty College homepage
Returns for final season after sitting out last season due to injury ... enters the season second on the Liberty all-time points list and third all-time in goals … has good field vision and is an excellent passer ... outstanding individually ability ... makes the players around him better …
2005 (Sr.): Medical redshirt ....
2004 (Jr.): Started in 16 matches ... scored goal against West Virginia ... netted match’s lone goal in a 1-0 victory at Wofford ... scored goal in 3-2 win at VMI ... had three-point game at Winthrop with a goal and an assist ... assisted on gamewinner in 1-0 victory at Radford ... scored goal in 3-1 victory over UNC Asheville ... had a goal and an assist in Big South semifinal against Birmingham-Southern ... a NSCAA South Atlantic All-Region second team selection ... named to VaSID All-State second team ... earned Big South all-conference second team honors ...
2003 (So.): Appeared in 16 matches, starting 15 … led the team with 23 points (eight goals, seven assists) … assisted on lone goal in 1-0 victory at Campbell … tallied two goals and assisted on another in 11-0 win over Southern Virginia … dished out assist in 2-1 win against VMI … netted a goal and added an assist at High Point … scored a goal and dished out an assist in 2-1 home win against Radford … netted game-winner in 2-1 win over UNC Asheville … had game-winning goal in 2-1 victory over High Point in Big South Tournament … earned Big South all-conference second team honors and was a VaSID All-State second team selection …named to the Trinidad and Tobago National Team in spring of 2003, becoming the first Liberty student-athlete to ever be named to a full national team ...
2002 (Fr.): Started all 21 games … led the team with 41 points (17 goals, seven assists) …his 17 goals were the most of any freshman in Division I for the 2002 season ... netted a goal in 4-1 win at Wofford … scored a goal against Virginia Tech … had a goal in 6-0 win over Southern Virginia … contributed a goal in 1-1 tie with High Point … tallied a goal in 1-0 win over Campbell … scored two goals in 2-1 win over Army … dished out an assist at UNC Greensboro … had three goals and three assists in 10-0 win over Averett … contributed a goal and an assist in 2-1 win over Charleston Southern … recorded two goals in 2-1 victory at Radford … had three goals and two assists in 5-1 win over Gardner-Webb … scored a goal in Big South Tournament loss to Elon …Soccer America and College Soccer News Freshman All-American ... NSCAA South Atlantic All-Region second team honors ... named Big South Freshman of the Year and to Big South All-Conference first team ...
Prep: Graduate of Wesleyan Christian Academy … an all-conference, all-region and all-state selection … scored 17 goals and contributed 11 assists.