Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Fuller

National striker Ricardo Fuller said the role of national team captain is growing on him.

Twenty-seven-year-old Fuller who has represented the country from Under-17 level to the senior team said that the added responsibility will make him a better player.

"Being named captain has not really changed much about how I play the game. As a forward, my main aim is to create goals for my teammates and myself and I still try to do that, but I have to be conscious of my responsibility to drive the team forward," explained Fuller at the end of his second game as captain against Peru recently.

"Right now there is more responsibility as I have to keep the players focused on the pitch for example if we go behind as we did against Canada and Peru, I have to rally them and help to keep the lapses to a minimum. If I can continue to rally the team and keep them motivated that is good for me as I could say that I would be doing a good job," continued the player who now represents championship team Stoke City.

Delighted

Captaincy, Fuller said, was not something he expected, but once the offer was made he could not refuse it.

"It was the last game against Canada that the coach came to me and said that I would captain the team. I was delighted of course as to be the captain of your country there is not much more that you can ask for. Some people could see this as extra pressure but not me. I will lead from the front and play a greater role in organising the team which should improve me as well," he said.

Having had a taste of leadership, the role of captaincy is one that Fuller hopes will have a greater degree of permanence to it than his stays at the different clubs that he has been. The player who has had stints at no fewer than six British clubs including Crystal Palace, Hearts, Preston North End, Portsmouth, Southampton, Ipswich and now Stoke has seen the captaincy change hands fairly often.

Among those who have held it recently are Andy Williams, Ricardo Gardner, Donovan Ricketts and Fabian Davis. "Yes I would love to retain the captaincy when the team is at full strength but I am the type of person who responds to the challenges and the instructions given to me by the manager (coach).

"If he says that he wants me to jump for the team then I will ask, how high? That would be my only concern because it is all about the team. If the manager decides to give the captaincy to someone else then that is good enough for me and I will shake the new captain's hand and give him my full support. If it is decided that I will retain it then I will be very happy," said the player who is settling down at Stoke where he is the top scorer.

Stoke he said is very good for him right now.

Settled

"I am settled now at Stoke with a three-year contract and I will try to do my best," said Fuller of his most secure contract since his time at Preston where he was a cult hero.

"I am a very much happy at Stoke. In fact, wherever I have been I am happy and I have just moved around because of the situation. Obviously I am not a guy with two perfect knees. I have had a lot injuries but I give 100 per cent to my team always and this long-term situation at Stoke is very good for me," said the 6'3" hit man.

With a healthier body and a more stable professional environment, Fuller believes that the national team will get more pleasing performnaces from him.

"I always try my best for the team but sometimes it looks different to other people off the pitch. About the goalscoring, yes I want to score more when I come here but sometimes the preparation is different and sometimes you just don't get that break. I just have to keep going and hopefully things will improve but I am happy with my performance," he said.