Jamaican international Alex Marshall is looking to lead a major assault on the Canadian Premier League (CPL) next season, after getting his first taste this year.

Marshall played in 11 games for the HFX Wanderers as they finished runners-up to the defending champions Forge FC who won the final 2-0 in September.

He says he relished the opportunity and realises that there is still a lot more to learn on his football journey.

“It was a wonderful experience to actually play outside of Jamaica. It took a lot of adjusting but nevertheless I adjusted and it showed me I had more things to work on to fully be a professional player,” he said.

The 22-year-old arrived in Canada later than expected due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19; however, he said that despite the challenges the experience has left him with high expectations for next year.

“The year 2020 in itself is a hard year for everybody and even though we didn’t win the final, to make it there with everything that was thrown at us this year, I am proud to have made it to the finals and I am ready to see what next year holds.”

Marshall is on the mend after doing minor knee surgery and will rest up before returning to Canada ahead of the start of the new season.

“I did a minor surgery on my right knee to do a meniscus repair, so I have a few months to recover,” he revealed, quelling rumours of him returning to play for his old club Cavalier FC in Jamaica ahead of the restart of the CPL.

The former schoolboy football standout was delighted with the contribution he was able to make in his first season after three assists in the regular season of seven games while also featuring in the three play-off games and the final.

He is planning to become a household name in the league next year.

“I arrived three weeks before we left to play the tournament and I played in every game. Next season I hope to establish myself as a top player in the league and not just an international player. I also want to help my team to the best of my abilities.”

His agent, Apex Football Management, which is based in London, United Kingdom, is watching Marshall’s progress with keen interest and exploring options to take the player to Europe, where he can showcase his excellent passing range, assists and eye for goal.

— Dwayne Richards