John Barry Nusum admits it will be strange to exchange his shorts and socks for a tracksuit when he first steps into the dugout as an Island Soccer League (ISL) coach.

The 29-year-old has taken charge of the Arsenal for the coming season and has been putting his new players through their paces during pre-season training over the last few weeks.

His transition from player to coach has come sooner than he would have liked as he had hoped to recover from a serious knee injury in time for Crystal Palace Baltimore's USSF D2 Pro League campaign.

But despite undergoing months of rehabilitation and clocking endless hours in the gym, the big striker concedes he is still nowhere near to regaining full fitness.

"Playing again professionally is still on the cards but I don't see it happening any time soon," said Nusum, who was not offered a new contract by Palace because of his injury problems.

"I can't even think about playing for the national team again and I'm just worrying about my rehab.

"I've spoken to Derek Broadley (technical director) and Scott Morton (national Under-23 coach) and we'll just have to see what happens in a couple of years time. Right now the focus is on the young guys and that's a good thing.

"Although my age is not numerically old my body has started feeling like it. I'm still not 100 percent and it's going to take time for me to get to 100 percent."

Nusum spent most of last summer on the treatment table after tearing his anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) in just his fifth game for Palace.

He returned to the Island a few months ago to work as a physical education teacher at West End Primary School and believes the ISL/Hope4Life programme can have a positive impact for young Bermudian males.

"I first spoke to David (Bascome) about getting involved with the ISL and the Hope4Life programme a number of years ago," he said. "Hopefully me and the rest of the ISL coaches and players can be role models for some of the young men in Bermuda because that's what's needed right now."

Although defending champions, the Union and Andrew Bascome's Storm are the early favourites for the ISL title, the Arsenal could be a surprise package with Nusum assembling a strong group of players including his ex-Bermuda Hogges team-mates Ralph Bean, Michael Parsons and Nigel Burgess.

"We've got a nice team and the thing that encourages me the most is the camaraderie within the camp," said the former Philadelphia Kixx indoor pro.

"We've had two training sessions so far and I really couldn't have asked for more from the players, I've been very pleased.

"Obviously I'm not able to go out there and kick the ball for the players and it will be strange not to be able to affect the game physically.

"But even as a player I always looked at the game and tried to see it from a coaches' perspective, so for me I don't think becoming a coach will be a big transition from being a player."

The ISL starts on May 21.

Nusum's Arsenal squad: Ijahmon Mallory, Cecoy Robinson, Jason Smith, Thomas Watson, Ralph Bean jr., Michael Parsons, Gniko Butterfield, Nigel Burgess, Jason Lee, Jahmal Boyles, Daz Simons, Keith Martins