Darren Smith, the former SuperSport United forward, recently shared his thoughts on his brief and challenging stint at AS FAR Rabat, a club formerly managed by Nasreddine Nabi.

The Cape Town-born striker spent a mere six months in Morocco, a time that saw him make 10 appearances in the country’s top-tier football league, the Botola Pro, under Belgian coach Sven Vandenbroeck.

However, his time at AS FAR Rabat would be cut short, leading him to look back with mixed emotions.

The Unexpected Departure from AS FAR

Smith opened up about the circumstances that led to his early exit from the club, calling it an “unfortunate situation.”

He explained that he had signed a six-month contract with an additional year option, but his tenure coincided with a period of instability at the club.

After just six months, the Belgian coach who had initially brought him to Morocco moved on, creating an uncertain future for Smith.

“Joining a club mid-season is never easy,” Smith told FARPost.

“It was a six-plus-one deal, and when the coach left, everything changed. The club had to decide quickly about my future, and they opted not to keep me.”

Disappointment, But Understanding

Despite his disappointment at leaving so soon, Smith expressed understanding of the club’s decision.

He explained that the uncertainty over the new coach’s preferences played a large role in their choice not to extend his contract.

“The situation was tricky,” he continued.

“The club had to inform me whether they would keep me, and with the coach’s departure, they were unsure of the direction they wanted to go.

They couldn’t make any decisions without knowing who would be taking over and what they wanted from me as a player.”

Smith made it clear that while he would have loved to stay, the situation was simply out of his hands.

Transition to Finland

After his short stay in Morocco, Smith moved on to a successful two-year stint with Finnish club Inter Turku.

His time in Finland proved to be a turning point in his career, as he netted 19 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions and earned the Veikkausliiga Fan’s Player of the Season award.

Before heading to Morocco, Smith had already impressed in Finland’s second tier with Ekenäs IF, where he contributed to 25 goals in just 27 matches.

His stellar performances in Finland helped him rebuild his career after his brief setback at AS FAR Rabat.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn