New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol has declared this MLS season as Khano Smith's breakthrough with him completing his evolution from peripheral striker into wing-back wizard.

It is likely Smith will be in no rush to review his Revs' performances of this campaign with it climaxing in another gut-wrenching defeat in the MLS Cup.

But when the dust settles, and emotions diminish, Nicol believes Smith can proudly reflect on what has been a watershed period in his bourgeoning career.

"Has this season been a breakthrough for Khano? Absolutely," says Nicol whose side lost 2-1 to Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup last weekend,

"Last season we had him coming off the bench to make a bigger impact because he was a striker who we moved (to wing-back) so he had a lot to learn defensively.

"He did that last season, but this year he has picked it up and understands the defensive side of his position so we play him from the start."

Combining defensive steel to his skill, speed and confidence to burn past markers has not been an overnight development with Smith spending much of his sophomore season at Gillette Stadium as an impact substitute.

But Nicol's patient approach has paid dividends this year with former Dellwood Middle School teacher Smith making 30 starts, including two goals and six assists, becoming a mainstay of the Revs' MLS Cup campaign.

Spotted in 2005 by Nicol during the Revs' tour match against Bermuda at the National Sports Centre, Smith, then at Dandy Town, scored and was consequently catapulted into the big time.

While many Islanders remained unconvinced of Smith's pedigree when he signed pro-terms, the cocksure 26-year-old has never been trampled with self-doubt about his ability, as Nicol verifies.

"I don't know if you know Khano, but he doesn't lack confidence," he says. "He's game has certainly grown but his confidence is at the same level it always was." One weapon in Smith's armoury that has never been in question is his blistering pace. It is an attribute ex-Liverpool legend Nicol believes the lanky long-strider should be using to punishing defenders with even more regularity.

"We've been working on trying to get Khano using his pace and beating the defender on the outside, rather than the inside," he adds.

"We try and encourage him to go wide and go around people, which we think is the best way to use his pace.

"If you're a defender you don't want a guy like Khano running at you. With his pace he'll burn anybody so it's important we get him the ball and get him behind teams. He's getting there."