THIRTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Jamaican Tyrone Marshall, a veteran central defender, has signed a one-year contract with US Major League Soccer (MLS) club Colorado Rapids, with the option of extending it for one more year.

A committed family man and Seattle Sounders’ Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, Marshall will relocate to the Rocky Mountains to join fellow Jamaican Omar Cummings, now on a likely three-month loan deal at English Premier League Aston Villa.

At the 16th pick in stage two of the MLS Re-entry Process on December 15, Marshall told MLSsoccer.com that he was “excited” about the agreement. “I wanted to get this sorted out before preseason starts,” he added.

The 6ft-2in Marshall had less playing time in the last season of the Seattle Sounders, starting in 14 of the 20 matches he played in the regular season.

In 2009, he started 25 of his 26 matches, but is aware of the challenges he will face to start at centre-back in the new season for the Rapids, the reigning MLS Cup champions.

Drew Moor and Marvell Wynne will likely get the nod over Marshall in the starting line-up.

“Those two guys won a cup together and it is what it is,” he said. “There are a lot of games coming up. Things happen and it is good to have some kind of depth so that you are not going to lose a beat if someone else comes in,” he added.

Marshall was originally drafted to the Rapids in 1998 but played only one match. However, he is familiar with some of the players, such as Pablo Mastroeni, Brian Mullen, Wynne, whom he have all played with at stints with Miami, LA Galaxy and Toronto respectively.

Marshall wants to end his playing career at Colorado then get into coaching afterwards.

His focus now, however, is to ensure that the Rapids defend their title through his contribution at the centre-back position.

“I can read the game better there in the middle, organise things, and make sure things are right. I’ll leave the outside to the younger guys,” he said.

Preseason for the Rapids begins on January 24.