Sorba Thomas: Rise from non-league football to the Championship
Sorba Thomas talks about his hard journey from non-league football to the second tier of English football. The Huddersfield Town winger has been named the player of the month for August in the championship.
Sorba Thomas talks to Sky Sports about his journey from Boreham Wood in non-league to Huddersfield Town in the championship in under a year.
From non-league to professional
Sorba Thomas was playing in Boreham Wood, a non-league football club until last December. He remembers how he came to know about the news that he was going to play in the championship with the Huddersfield Town.
He says:
‘I remember getting a call on New Year’s Eve from the owner and manager at Boreham Wood and them telling me, ‘you’re a Huddersfield Town player’
The player found it hard adjusting to the demands of a higher level and was limited to a few substitute appearances at the end of last season. However, the player is currently a key part of the Huddersfield Town that is doing well this season.
“I back my ability 100 percent to play for any team anywhere, but coming in to train here was a shock because I was used to such a different style of play, and a different type of manager,”
he says.
On his versatility
Thomas has excelled for Huddersfield wherever he is played. The player has played as both winger and a wing-back and on both sides of the pitch. He feels that he does not have a set position for him.
“Wherever the manager wants me to play, I’ll play and I’ll put in 100 percent to show my ability – whether that’s as a wing-back or a winger on either side. Nowadays you have to be versatile, as that’s what managers want. You are limiting yourself by only being able to play in one position. I don’t see myself as having one position.”
, says Thomas.
Sorba was released as a youngster by West Ham United. He joined Boreham Wood as a 16-year-old. Thomas feels West Ham releasing him was the best thing that happened to him in his life. He says, at first it was difficult to take it in, but, his family and friends talked him into playing football again. Thomas joined Boreham Wood in non-league football. He played along with players who would have another job to do in the daytime. Meanwhile, Sorba had to coach football to get him going financially.
Possible international call-up
Sorba Thomas has been in good form for his club. The winger has been named the player of the month in the championship for the month of August. Thomas has scored 1 goal and has assisted further four goals for his teammates. As a result, he has been tipped to feature for Wales in the World Cup qualifiers in October.
“It would make me and my family so proud. To even be on the radar of my country when this time last year they probably didn’t even know who I was is a dream come true for me. I hope that dream can become a reality.”
The player said about a possible international call-up.