Tomorrow afternoon, Bermuda's Khano Smith will try to win the biggest prize in US club football, the MLS Cup, with his team the New England Revolution. Tomorrow's final against Houston Dynamo will be shown live on US national network ABC from 1 p.m. (Bermuda time). The Revs will be aiming for their first MLS Cup, having lost in the final in the past two years. But Smith's team go into the match already having won one trophy this season, the US Open Cup. The former Dandy Town striker has re-invented himself as a left-sided midfielder and has this season cemented his place in coach Steve Nicol's starting line-up. This week, Smith spoke with Kyle McCarthy, of the Goal.com website, about tomorrow's big match and his season so far.

It's difficult to reach a consensus of opinion on Revolution midfielder Khano Smith. Some say he's a world-beating left winger among the best in the league, while others say he's not fit to play for a pub team, writes Kyle McCarthy.

What can't be disputed is Smith's integral role in New England's third straight chance to claim the Holy Grail. The Bermudian international played in 29 games for the Revs this year, starting 26 of them, and registered a career-high six assists in his third season in the league. After playing more of a reserve role in his past two seasons with the Revolution (10 career starts heading into the season), Smith grabbed the starting left midfield berth and established himself as a permanent fixture on the team sheet.

A converted forward, Smith's willingness to run at defenders unsettles opposing backlines and his crossing can pose problems when he's on form. Revolution head coach Steve Nicol switched him to winger last season after Smith struggled at striker; Smith's continued commitment towards improving his work on the defensive side of the ball has earned plaudits from Nicol and fellow team-mates during the season, though he admits there is work still to be done.

As New England seek to lift their first MLS Cup on Sunday afternoon in a rematch of last season's battle, Smith aims to be the first ex-Dandy Town (Bermuda) star to reach the summit of American soccer.

Goal.com pulled up a seat next to Smith on a trusty Gillette Stadium golf cart after training recently. Here's what went down:

Goal.com: You guys stumbled a bit down the stretch, letting in lots of goals and not getting the results expected in the final weeks of the season. What happened?

Smith: We weren't as motivated as we should have been at the end of the season. We didn't have a whole lot to play for because we couldn't move up or down in the standings. We were coasting a little bit and we didn't defend as well as we should have. We've clicked back into where we need to be in time for the play-offs.

Goal.com: Clicking back into things got you guys past New York and Chicago. That means you get another crack at Houston in the final. After the way last year worked out, is there a little bit of the revenge factor involved for you after losing out in last year's final?

Smith: There is none, really. We just want to win the game.

Goal.com: There's no sort of rivalry there at all?

Smith: Houston's a good team. They've got a lot of good players. We have a lot of respect for them. But we don't play them very often, so we don't hate them as much as we do some of our other Eastern Conference rivals.

Goal.com: Maybe part of the reason the respect is there is because the two teams are so similar. Putting aside the formation difference (New England's 3-5-2 versus Houston's 4-4-2), why do you think the two teams have enjoyed the success they have over the past few years.

Smith: The coaches are very similar. Maybe it's the Scottish influence, I don't know. But the two teams play very similar styles. We approach the game the same way as they do.

Goal.com: By approaching the game, I assume you mean keeping it tight defensively and moving forward in numbers when given the opportunity. How much does that impact your role as a flank player? Does it mean that you're more involved in what the team's trying to do offensively?

Smith: That's what we want to do. We want to win the ball in midfield and get it wide as soon as possible. That's where we're good. We're trying to exploit those wide spaces.

Goal.com: Knowing that the two teams play similar styles in trying to work the flanks and keeping it tight on the defensive end, what do you see as the key to Sunday's contest?

Smith: Everyone has to win their personal battles. Those battles take place all over the field and we need to win them.

Goal.com: Let's talk a little bit about your personal battle then. You'll face off against Brian Mullan, one of the league's best right midfielders and a guy who has floated around on the periphery of the US national team picture for a few years now. What do you think about that match-up?

Smith: Mullan's a hard guy to play against. It's tough to play against him because he's such a battler. He's got a really good work rate and he's a good crosser of the ball. I'll have my hands full with him.

Goal.com: How much of this game is about getting the proverbial monkey off your back? I know winning the US Open Cup did that to some extent, but do you feel the pressure to win MLS Cup to exorcise those last remaining demons?

Smith: For me, it's about getting a ring. It's not about anything else.

* Follow the big match on Sunday at www.theroyalgazette.bm