KEAMMAR ‘Dada’ Daley is settling in “nicely” at his new job at English League One outfit Preston North End (PNE).

The 23-year-old who transferred from local champions Tivoli Gardens on a two-year deal in the summer said he has received a friendly Deepdale welcome by fans and teammates alike.

It’s not the perfect start to a full professional career as he’s yet to play in a league match, but Daley is grateful to be in a first-class professional environment and gives thanks “to the Almighty” for his good fortune so far.

“It has been going well with the help of the Almighty… the transition from Jamaica to Preston has been a bit difficult, but it was my decision to become a professional footballer so I will have to just adapt and move on,” Daley told the Sunday Observer at a training session with the Reggae Boyz at Winchester Park on Thursday.

Since his impressive pre-season stint with the Lancanshire side, PNE fans have been hollering to see the diminutive Jamaica midfielder — who has been converted into a winger/forward for the club — in action.

Though their desire to see him in the league is yet to be fulfilled, fans got a taste of the crafty player in the Carling Cup knock-out.

“It’s a great feeling that the fans have been waiting to see me play ever since I went there on the pre-season (stint)… and I went out and did my thing and they all accepted it,” said Daley, the individual considered ordained to bring creative range to Jamaica’s midfield that has been choking from players more inclined to running and tackling.

“But the Preston fans are like that, they are always cheering, and that’s the kind of motivation you need as a player to go out there and work your socks off,” he said.

And work his socks off he did against Morecambe in a Carling Cup match on Tuesday that Preston won 7-6 on penalties after both teams played out a rugged regular and extra time 2-2 draw.

Daley, who spent his formative years honing his football skills at Meadhaven Football Club, debuted for the England side in their 1-2 defeat to Southampton last month.

The hero of Jamaica’s silver-medal finish at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil is upbeat that he’s on the verge of breaking into the first team — a confidence, he claims, is fed by his work ethics in training and one-one chats with manager Phil Brown.

Daley followed other Jamaicans at The Whites as Omar Daley (no relation) and Claude Davis had productive tenures there.

The stocky player who is in Jamaica preparing with the Reggae Boyz for an international friendly against Honduras in that country on Tuesday, attributed his warm embrace at Preston in part to the fact that the changing rooms had been graced by Jamaicans before him.

“The other players have given me a warm welcome and I am always comfortable around them as there is no negatives. Jamaican players have been at Preston before, so some of the players who played with those Jamaicans are still at the club, so they know what we are like and what we are likely to bring to the table,” he said.

Preston at press time were third in the 24-team championship with 22 points. They follow leaders Charlton Athletic (27 points) and Milton Keynes Dons (22).

Daley, who attended Jamaica College, said being away from home for a sustained period of time and exposed to a foreign culture have their share of challenges, but he conquers all with God’s guidance and the never-ending support of his family back home.

Now that he has broken into the professional jurisdiction of British football, Daley aims to be at the highest level one day.

“My aim and goal is to get into the Premier League… I am in England now, therefore I am looking forward to all challenges and opportunities that come my way,” he ended.

It was Daley’s prominent role which helped propel the Boyz to the quarter-finals of last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup that caught the eye of the Preston manager.

On the local front, Daley bagged 12 goals for Meadhaven in the 2008/2009 Digicel Premier League (DPL) season, which led to him winning the Junior Player of the Season award. For the 2009/2010 DPL season, he initially signed for Tivoli Gardens on a season-long loan after Meadhaven were demoted from the topflight. The transfer was later made permanent and he became an instant hit with the West Kingston faithful and was instrumental in the team being crowned national league champions.

Daley, capped 11 times as a senior with two goals to his credit, made his debut in July 2008 against El Salvador.