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Eagles will bounce back Rojas

Marlon Rojas

Somerset Eagles player-coach Marlon Rojas is hoping for a quick return to the Premier Division after suffering relegation in his first season in charge.Rojas, who took over from Kenny Thompson at the start of the season, is confident Eagles can bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking and believes they were unfortunate to go down.“It was disappointing to get relegated in my first season ... I think we have played some good football and were looking good for a mid-table finish at one point. I will be staying with Eagles and hopefully I can lead them to promotion next season,” said the ex-Bermuda Hogges midfielder. “I think the boys enjoyed playing under me and I enjoyed coaching the side.”With their first choice goalkeeper Tahj Bell studying in the UK, Eagles had to cope without a specialist shot stopper throughout the season which certainly didn’t help their survival cause, Rojas said.“We didn’t really have a proper goalkeeper all season and I think that proved to be very costly for us. I certainly don’t want to blame the guy (Karl Brown) who played in goal for us but it meant we were never really safe in games.”A niggling heel injury prevented Rojas, who won 23 caps for Trinidad, from playing regularly this season but hopes to be fighting fit for the start of Eagles’ First Division campaign.“Hopefully I can get myself fully fit and play more often,” he said. “I need to give my heel injury time to rest and maybe I play more games next season.”Rojas expects to lose some of his key players to Premier Division clubs but intends to keep the nucleus of his squad together for their First Division promotion campaign.“I imagine some players will want to leave because everyone wants to play in the Premier Division and that’s fine,” he said. “I’ve been involved in football long enough to know the game is always moving on. We will look to strengthen in a few areas and keep most of our squad together and move forward.”Eagles play St.David’s at White Hill Field in the final weekend of the league season on Sunday.