JAMAICA and Stoke City striker Ricardo Fuller continues to increase his value in one of the world’s biggest leagues, the English Premier League, after another outstanding season with his club.

So influential has the 30-year-old become for the Potters that he has earned himself new contract talks with the top-flight club.

Negotiations on a new deal with Stoke will commence on Fuller’s return from holiday in July, and the club’s topscorer for the past four seasons is hoping to tie up a contract that will see him end his career at the club.

The former Tivoli Gardens player, who is currently in Jamaica on vacation, was a spectator at the Edward Seaga Complex on Sunday as his ex-club surrendered the Digicel Premier League (DPL) title to Harbour View.

He has two years left on his current contract and told reporters that because of his increasing importance to the team and interest from other clubs, his employers thought it wise to improve his present deal.

“Last season was a good season, but this year was even better because we managed to finish higher than we did last year,” he said.

“We finished 12th last year and this year we finished 11th. We had 45 points last season; this year we have 47 and the team in general has performed tremendously throughout the season,” he noted.

And despite scoring eight goals this year, compared to 11 last season, he said his performance was more consistent.

“The proof is in the team stats, and managers of all the teams when they play against us are always having three, four players around me, so it goes to show how highly they look at me,” he added.

“We have contract talks when I get back because I’ve done really well and there are other clubs interested, so I’m looking forward to that when I get back in July.

“But I’m happy at Stoke now… and probably for this contract we can work out another two years so that maybe I can try to finish my career there,” he said.

But while the tricky forward has blossomed in Britain, his commitment and performances for Jamaica have longed been questioned and criticised.

However, he pointed out that it’s not only him, but the national team in general, that tends to struggle because of the lack of chemistry and understanding among the players.

“Playing in the national team is down to being together, because I’m in a totally different mindset when I’m in England for 10 months… when you come here you’re faced with new players and a new team,” he reasoned.

“… Continuation is important for the improvement of any team, and that’s what we need to do,” he insisted.

“We need to keep the team going, keep the squad together and build a good chemistry and work with a set of players who are going to be in the fore for a long time and that will get us to be sucessful,” Fuller asserted.

The striker, who along with Reggae Boyz captain Ricardo Gardner, are the country’s only representatives in one of the world’s biggest leagues, implored local businesses to get more involved in sponsoring local teams.

“The sponsors need to come in and help the country, because domestic football can help international football, so they need to come in and help to improve things,” he said.

However, he said from the little he saw last Sunday, the local game was developing and he had high praise for the quality of the playing surface at Tivoli, noting that 40 per cent of a game is down to the quality of the field.

Fuller has scored five goals in two seasons against one of the league’s giants, Arsenal, and was responsible for ousting the London club from the world’s most popular knockout competition, the FA Cup, with a double strike this season.

FULLER… sponsors need to come in and help the country