GOLDEN Jaguars forward Emery Welshman believes his signing with Futbol Club Cincinnati is one that was well-deserved, as he now shifts his attention to shining in the United Soccer League (USL).

Futbol Club Cincinnati, one of the teams vying for a place in the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS), last Wednesday announced the signing of Welshman, with the team’s head coach Alan Koch calling the 26-year-old Guyanese International a “player who has had a few setbacks with injury, but when at his best, he has the ability to play in MLS.”
“He has not peaked yet and we look forward to working with him to help achieve mutual goals,” Koch said.

Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to Chronicle Sport yesterday, Welshman added, “I’m very excited to be joining a top club. This is a step forward in my career. (I’m) looking forward to playing in front of some of the best fans in North America. I’m very blessed for this opportunity and will continue to work hard to reach my goals.”

In 2016, while at Real Salt Lake, Welshman had two surgeries done to repair a hip flexor injury and after recovery, he moved to Real Monarchs, and then to North American Soccer League (NASL) side Puerto Rico FC.

Welshman had a relatively successful stint at the Carmelo Anthony-owned Puerto Rico FC before being picked up by FC Cincinnati, but the Guyanese forward told Chronicle Sport that there’s no pressure heading to the ULS and playing for a team that’s looking to join the MLS.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity yet I feel it’s well-deserved. I’ve worked very hard to overcome some obstacles in the past and I will continue to work hard to go even further in my football career,” the Golden Jaguars forward highlighted.

Welshman added, “It’s going to be very important for me to do well with my club regardless of my international football status. Club and international football are very different, different coaching styles, different players etc.
“What’s important is that I’m playing at a club with similar ambitions to my own. I now have to go out there every day and earn my spot on the team. After that everything else will fall into place.”

A member of the Guyana National Team, Welshman collected six caps and scored three goals for Guyana, including two in a World Cup Qualifying match against St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Welshman played with Puerto Rico FC last season, converting on five of 12 shots on target with all five goals coming from inside the box to go along with three assists. Welshman was named both to the NASL Team-of-the-Week and Team-of-the-Month twice on 2017.

A member of Real Salt Lake in 2016, Welshman missed the season due to injury and was loaned for a short stint to USL side Real Monarchs, where he made three appearances. In 2015, Welshman logged a full season with the Monarchs and finished as the team’s second-leading scorer with six goals over 19 appearances.
During their inaugural season, Welshman chipped in two assists and helped the club end the season with a five-match win streak.

In 2014 Welshman played with Ligue 1 Ontario side Sigma FC in Canada’s third division and made his professional debut in 2013 after being selected as the 16th overall pick by Toronto FC in the MLS SuperDraft.