Rodolph Austin (left) in action against Trinidad and Tobago at the National Stadium last year. - File

NATIONAL midfielder Rodolph Austin is hoping the number of Jamaicans playing professionally in Norway's premier football championship will swell soon.

Austin recently completed his first full season in the Scandinavian country, having done a half-season prior to that.

"We need some more Jamaicans over there," Austin said in a recent interview with The Gleaner. "I told my club about the premier league out here (Jamaica) and told them to come scout some players.

"I would love to see more Jamaicans playing in the league because I know a lot of talent is here and playing in the league in Europe would help us in our qualification for the next World Cup."

The opportunity for the hard-working 24-year-old came about shortly after his chances of earning a contract with English Premier League team Stoke City fell through when the Home Office in Britain declined him a work permit based on the country's low ranking by Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).

Austin was a key figure in Jamaica's 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, which saw the Reggae Boyz being eliminated at the semi-final phase by virtue of goal difference, as they had tied with Mexico on points.

dual benefits

He noted the dual benefits that would come with increased Jamaican representation in Norway.

"When a player comes over here and he can make life better for himself and his family, that will help the country (Jamaica) in the long run," he observed.

Seven Jamaicans were attached to a number of Norway's 16 top-flight clubs last season. Beside himself, the others are Khari Stephenson, Demar Phillips, Luton Shelton, Eric Vernan, Damian Williams and Adrian Reid.

"That experience is really helping the national team because it's a young team as well. It helps us to play better in terms of experience and when to be smart with the ball."

hard-kicking player

Austin, who hails from Morgan's Pass in Clarendon and represented Clarendon College in the schoolboy daCosta Cup and later joined Portmore United, plies his trade with SK Brann, which finished fifth last season.

"Our target this season was to finish in the top three and get a place in the UEFA competition," he noted. "Next season we'll go for the title because the coach knows the players now."

Continuing, the hard-kicking player said: "It's my first full season in Europe. It's very challenging adapting to their style of football."

Team style is not the only adjustment he has been dealing with in the northern European town named Bergen City which has become home.

Now he is away from the warmth of family and tropical climes, having to deal with largely near sub-zero temperatures.

"They call it the rainy city because it's always raining there, especially in winter," Austin said of Bergen, adding that "there are seven mountains in the city.

"Sometimes, there are only seven hours of daylight and the sun comes out two days in the week. In the summer it doesn't get dark until midnight and in winter it gets dark from 4 p.m. Day lights at 8:30 a.m.," he added.

"At first, it was very uncomfortable, it was very rough. But it (contract) is something I've always wanted so I work very hard," Austin pointed out. "Every time you take the pitch you've got to do your best. It's a sacrifice I've made and it has paid off.

"It has taught me about life, about being by myself, because when you're alone you think about situations in life," he said.

"Sometimes there's a bit of loneliness; you miss your family and so forth," he added. "But at the end of the day your career is not going to last forever so you've got to make the best of it and save as much as you can for when you retire."

Stephenson

Phillips

Vernan