Daniel Shaw has always stood on the fringes of being a notoriously good player in the Premier League.

Shaw, while a most dangerous player, will not be called one of those players you call late. In recent times he has been to three different football clubs and it hasn’t quite paid off for any of those teams.

The first time I saw the slightly built midfielder I was impressed. He had just come off the bench for Harbour View and his talent was obvious. Zipping around the park with apparent ease, Shaw made a mockery of much bigger and stronger opponents, who tried to bully him as they should, as anyone with a size advantage should. It didn’t work, as the young man’s control on the dribble was immaculate.

That wasn’t his most endearing quality though. Outside of being difficult to contend with when he had the ball at his feet, is the fact that he passed the ball over long distances with much effort. His passes long and accurate, it wasn’t advised that he be given any room to work his magic.

Yet again I was made aware that Shaw had other weapons, which made him a ‘tough customer’. I saw him kick the football. Without much fanfare, he would swing his relatively small feet into the ball and produce such tremendous force, that the goalkeeper, would scream at his defence whenever he was allowed to perform the act.

‘Do an mek him kick’ became a familiar sound while I watched Daniel but then there was a tell-tale sign that something was wrong I hadn’t noticed. Why was he coming off the bench when he obviously had the talent to turn a game on its head and must be an advantage from the first whistle.

Then I spoke to the coach at he the time, former national goalkeeper, Donovan Hayles, who was very frank and open in saying Shaw would determine when he was ready to start.

That meant, I was to find out later, Daniel didn’t train had enough and didn’t put the kind of effort into the game his talent required.

Soon enough, Shaw was shipped, apparently on his request to Arnett Gardens and a beautiful relationship looked to be blossoming. He was scoring goals, as only he can and wreaking the kind of havoc that told me he had learnt from his ordeal. He hadn’t. Soon enough he was back on the bench again. His loan to Arnett ended and he went back to Harbour View. Not before a stint at August Town that, like his previous too relationships with a club broke down.

August Town, at the time, were trying to qualify for the Premier League and they were good enough to, even with the intermittent at best contributions from the midfielder.

He’s now back at August Town, who spent a full season in the league and are trying to make sure they stay there. This time I hope he sticks.

He has been starting regularly, as he should, but I have not seen the magic I once did. He’s still scoring goals but recently he had a penalty saved in a 1-1 draw with Boys’ Town. The way he kicked that ball suggested he is a little short on confidence, which happens in a player’s career, My hope is that he gets over that and we can see some good football from him this season. Maybe this is the season he becomes a great player worthy of being more in the ‘spotlight’.