Tweet
Herrera rebounding after near-death escape
published: Monday | December 5, 2005
Nodley Wright, Frelance Writer
Zico Herrera. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE VIOLENCE that is plaguing Jamaica has disrupted many lives and sport is not immune. When Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup, it was noted that within the hours that the national team was playing, crime decreased significantly.
Today, sport is no longer sacred as far as crime is concerned. Earlier this year there was an attack at a football match in St. Catherine, which claimed the lives of a number of football fans, including a young child.
Prior to that incident, Spanish Town's team Arlington was crippled by the violence as a number of players had to stay away from training or matches. One of those who was forced to pull out of the teams was utility player Zico Herrera.
"The violence in Spanish Town forced me to stop playing for a little while because I almost got killed. One day they were pulling me into a lane to shoot me and the police came and I ran away," said Herrera, who was named after the Brazilian football great by his father, a big football fan.
Not wanting to become another statistic and intent on continuing his football dream, Herrera decided to move to Montego Bay to represent Wadadah Football Club.
"It is just the violence that drove me away and I can tell you I am not going back. I don't know if I will stay right here but I am not going back.
"I said to myself, imagine I play for their club and they wanted to shoot me so I decided that I had to leave," said Herrera, who lived in the Gordon Pen area of Spanish Town.
His ticket out of Spanish Town came through a friendship that he had struck up with Wadadah player Rohan 'Bob' Reid.
"I ended up at Wadadah because of my friend Bob. I called him and told him of the situation then the manager of the club called me and from there I hooked up with the club," said the 23-year-old who operates anywhere on the field.
The athletic Herrera, who is a good striker of the ball, is fast becoming a fan favourite because of his display for his new club. He started out in midfield but has moved to right back where he has had outstanding performances.
"I played midfield, forward and right back for Arlington so basically I am an all-round player. The reason why I am playing wingback right now is because the coach is searching for a quality wingback right now and has not found one yet so I am filling the role," explained Herrera, who has impressed coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams with his versatility. While he misses Spanish Town, Herrera said that he is settling down both at the club and in Montego Bay. His focus now, he says, is to improve his game even more to lift his team towards greater respectability in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League and improve his marketability.
DIFFICULTIES
"I think I am doing good but I still want to step it up some more. I really want the team to go somewhere but it is not easy based on some difficulties we face from time to time, but we just have to keep working hard. My plan is to take my football to another level and get involved in the national programme and even play overseas," he said.
At 23, Herrera knows that time is not on his side.
"Had I played schoolboy football I probably would be a bit further right now but that did not happen. The year that I was supposed to play daCosta Cup I had to drop out of school because of some issue with my father. He lost his job and the funds were not there to send me to school," said Herrera, who attended Dinthill Technical in St. Catherine.
published: Monday | December 5, 2005
Nodley Wright, Frelance Writer
Zico Herrera. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE VIOLENCE that is plaguing Jamaica has disrupted many lives and sport is not immune. When Jamaica qualified for the 1998 World Cup, it was noted that within the hours that the national team was playing, crime decreased significantly.
Today, sport is no longer sacred as far as crime is concerned. Earlier this year there was an attack at a football match in St. Catherine, which claimed the lives of a number of football fans, including a young child.
Prior to that incident, Spanish Town's team Arlington was crippled by the violence as a number of players had to stay away from training or matches. One of those who was forced to pull out of the teams was utility player Zico Herrera.
"The violence in Spanish Town forced me to stop playing for a little while because I almost got killed. One day they were pulling me into a lane to shoot me and the police came and I ran away," said Herrera, who was named after the Brazilian football great by his father, a big football fan.
Not wanting to become another statistic and intent on continuing his football dream, Herrera decided to move to Montego Bay to represent Wadadah Football Club.
"It is just the violence that drove me away and I can tell you I am not going back. I don't know if I will stay right here but I am not going back.
"I said to myself, imagine I play for their club and they wanted to shoot me so I decided that I had to leave," said Herrera, who lived in the Gordon Pen area of Spanish Town.
His ticket out of Spanish Town came through a friendship that he had struck up with Wadadah player Rohan 'Bob' Reid.
"I ended up at Wadadah because of my friend Bob. I called him and told him of the situation then the manager of the club called me and from there I hooked up with the club," said the 23-year-old who operates anywhere on the field.
The athletic Herrera, who is a good striker of the ball, is fast becoming a fan favourite because of his display for his new club. He started out in midfield but has moved to right back where he has had outstanding performances.
"I played midfield, forward and right back for Arlington so basically I am an all-round player. The reason why I am playing wingback right now is because the coach is searching for a quality wingback right now and has not found one yet so I am filling the role," explained Herrera, who has impressed coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams with his versatility. While he misses Spanish Town, Herrera said that he is settling down both at the club and in Montego Bay. His focus now, he says, is to improve his game even more to lift his team towards greater respectability in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League and improve his marketability.
DIFFICULTIES
"I think I am doing good but I still want to step it up some more. I really want the team to go somewhere but it is not easy based on some difficulties we face from time to time, but we just have to keep working hard. My plan is to take my football to another level and get involved in the national programme and even play overseas," he said.
At 23, Herrera knows that time is not on his side.
"Had I played schoolboy football I probably would be a bit further right now but that did not happen. The year that I was supposed to play daCosta Cup I had to drop out of school because of some issue with my father. He lost his job and the funds were not there to send me to school," said Herrera, who attended Dinthill Technical in St. Catherine.
Comment