No more 'Mr Nice Guy' for Sammy
Cayman conqueror Sammy DeGraff is determined to shed his 'Mr Nice Guy' persona and develop a ruthless edge admitting, "I'm too passive on the pitch".
DeGraff, who sunk Cayman with a double salvo, reckons he carries his amiable nature with him when he crosses the white line and believes he must add fight to his finesse in order to reach his full potential.
"I guess you could say I'm a passive person and maybe I'm too passive when I play," he said. "There's definitely more to come from me and I know I could dictate things more than I do.
"I think I have the ability to change a game and need to be more influential. Playing in the centre of midfield you need to be aggressive and that's something I'm working on."
By his own admission he has struggled at North Village this season with coach Elliott Jennings' favoured midfield pairing of Jennings' Keith and Jemeiko forcing DeGraff out onto the flanks.
DeGraff, 27, has refused to 'rock the boat', but admitted he is far more at home in the centre of midfield.
"I've not been playing in my favoured position for Rams this season," he said. "Although I've made a contribution it's not been my best season. But I realise you have to be able to adapt your game."
"I suppose I'm a confidence player and it does effect me but when I play through the middle, like I do for the Hogges and the national team, I feel more confident. That's definitely my preferred position and that's where I play my best football."
The Whitney Institute teacher was Bermuda's catalyst for victory against Cayman Islands and he has hailed his scintillating showing as one of the personal highlights for his career.
On the back of his goalscoring heroics DeGraff is now confident of hitting the ground running when the Hogges kick-start their season at Charlotte Eagles later this month.
"It was important for me to perform against Cayman Islands especially with Bermuda Hogges' season weeks away," he said. "To score two goals for my country in a game with such an intense atmosphere was a personal highlight for me.."
DeGraff, spent last July on trial at 2006 FIFA Club World Club Champions Sport Club Internacional, in Brazil, and despite not winning a contract is keen to return to the land of samba football to pursue his professional dream.
"At the moment I'm just concentrating on the Hogges season and the Trinidad and Tobago matches, but I do plan to return to Brazil sometime after the USL-D2 season," he said. "I want to give professional football a go in Brazil, or anywhere else."