Mattocks vows to reach new heights at DC United

REGGAE BOYZ forward Darren Mattocks has set new goals as he prepares to turn out for new club DC United in next season’s United States Major League Soccer (MLS) competition.

The 27-year-old Mattocks spent two seasons with the Portland Timbers before he was traded to DC United on Monday.

Mattocks had a tough campaign with the Timbers since joining the team from the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2016, as he managed just five goals and five assists in 43 games.

However, the striker told The Gleaner that he was looking forward to the challenge of leading DC United’s strike force next season.

“It is football and it is a new challenge and so I am excited,” said Mattocks. “I did two years at Portland and it was good, and in football sometimes you have to move on because it is very rare for a footballer to stay at one club for their entire career as people can get traded,” he said.

He added: “For me, I am embracing a new challenge. My expectations are to go there and do well by maximising my potential playing in DC because so far I don’t think that I reached that level playing in Vancouver or Portland, and so hopefully, the challenge in DC will help me to do that.”

DC United were the worst-scoring team in the MLS competition last season with 31 goals. Mattocks, who is in his final year of his contract, pointed out that he will be working hard to improve the team’s scoring prowess.

“They did not have a productive goalscoring season this year and so I know that I will help them in that department. I think once I play to my potential then I am going to score a lot of goals for DC,” said Mattocks, a former Bridgeport High School football star.

“This is my final year on my contract and so it is what you put out on the field that is going to determine whether you maximise your earnings, or whether it’s a move overseas, and so I am definitely looking forward to challenge,” he said.

Mattocks has scored 14 goals in 39 appearances for the Reggae Boyz since making his debut against El Salvador in 2012.