Marco Warren says his transition as the captain of PHC Zebras has been “smooth” and is a role he was well groomed for.

The midfielder was given the captain’s armband at the start of the season after predecessor Cecoy Robinson joined PHC’s Premier Division rivals Dandy Town.

“I’d say it has been a smooth transition for me because many things that I have been doing now I was also doing in the years prior,” Warren, the son of former Boulevard and Bermuda midfielder Dwight “Payback” Warren, said. “It’s a new role in terms of the title, but I think it’s something that I’ve been definitely becoming over the course of time.”

Warren credits his predecessor for helping to groom him for the leadership role.

“I have had a good captain before me which showed me a blueprint to follow,” he said. “However, I still have my own individuality, which will be present.

“When you are appointed to lead anything you of course risk being disliked. But understanding that you can’t please everyone is very liberating.

“I was assured by the coaches that our team needs me to express myself, right or wrong. When there’s no guidance, there’s no standards and with no standards, there’s no consistency.

“For me, when your dislike for losing exceeds your lust for winning you tend to do the things so called captains or leaders would do.

“Now with the captain’s band I just try to articulate my ideas a bit more to my team and coaches as a whole so that we are all on the same page with how we can problem solve.”

Even though it is still early days yet, Warren is encouraged by the progress his team has made going through a rebuilding phase with a promising crop of young players.

“The team is doing all right but we have a long way to go,” he said.

”Under the coaching staff our team is in process of finding our identity and developing chemistry with the young, seasoned and new players.

“We are still understanding our shape in attack and defence and making adjustments when needed. But we need to work hard and stay mentally balanced.”

PHC are on a four-game unbeaten streak and are fresh off back-to-back league wins over Somerset Eagles, X-Roads and Southampton Rangers to suggest their struggles at the start of the season are behind them.

“Our team has coped with the situation pretty well not letting a rough start of results to shake our confidence,” Warren added. “That’s unique for a predominantly young team and huge credit to my team-mates for that and the coaching staff for keeping us in tune.

“We are going to compete all day every day and it’s only up from here.”