Nicholson frustrated in Belgium

Former Boys’ Town footballer Shamar Nicholson, who is currently self-isolated in the Belgian city of Charleroi, says the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on his daily life,has left him frustrated, as he comes to grip with life without football.

Nicholson, who represents Charleroi, who are currently third in the Belgian Jupiter league, said the situation has been a tough one for him to come to grips with.

“I’m in Charleroi and when you go out, you don’t see people outside, you hear no noise, nothing, it’s so weird. It has affected the whole country and, as we speak, it’s affecting the whole world and now it’s football season and there is no football, it’s just staying home and you get so tired of staying home, even though training is hard. So it’s a difficult situation as it’s not vacation time and I’m not used to not playing football now in season time, it feels so weird,” the 23-year-old Jamaican international told The Gleaner.

Nevertheless, the forward says he is doing what he must to keep in shape physically and mentally.

“I have a personal trainer who trains me and the club gives us thing to do at home, plus I got my bicycle that I train with and I got equipment at home I can train with. I use them to keep in shape and sometimes I go out and do some running and work out in the sun,” Nicholson stated.

Nicholson was Charleroi’s second leading scorer with nine goals when the league was called off with only one game remaining in the regular season. The team sits third in the table with 54 points, one less than Gent, and still in with a chance of taking second place and an automatic Champions League spot.

Nicholson believes that even if they do not contest the play-off this season, every team should be given the opportunity to complete their final game.

“It would mean so much to me if the team should qualify automatically for the Champions League, it would mean a lot,” he shared.

Although he is hoping for the situation to improve so he can get back to playing the sport he loves as soon as possible, Nicholson admitted that it will be difficult for his or any team to regained the momentum they had before the league was postponed.

“It’s football and you’ll never know. Before the virus and the stop of the league, we were in good condition and we were motivated and everything was going well. We were on the right track, so it would be very different if the league was to start back now because the conditions are not right. The whole match condition is not there because we have not played for a long time. So it would feel like a new season and anything can happen from then when it starts back,” Nicholson stated.

Nicholson has scored seven goals in 18 appearances for Jamaica.