Harbour View bolster attack in transfer window
Majority of the players brought in are attackers, says general manager Jureidini
Published:Saturday | February 11, 2023 | 1:02 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
DESPITE signing four players prior to the start of the 2022-23 Jamaica Premier League season, defending champions Harbour View Football Club felt the need to bring in reinforcements in order to challenge for their sixth local title. Clyde Jureidini, general manager of the club, said they had ‘some activity’ during the transfer window which saw them drafting in fresh blood along with recalling some of the tested warriors, who were on overseas duties.
“We had some activity which saw some players coming back from overseas duties. Cristojaye Daley from Europe, Shamarie Dyer from Antigua and Phillon Lawrence who was in the United States have come back. We also drafted in three young players in former Kingston College attacker Omar Thompson, Jamaica College’s striker Jhavier Lynch and Kemar Mullings, a young striker from Humble Lion,” Jureidini revealed.
The ‘Stars of the East’, who are currently fifth in the 14-team table, are 11 points behind leaders Mount Pleasant heading into Matchday 14. Jureidini stated that the deals during the transfer window were not done because of the mid-table position, but were part of the initial team plans along with the continued development of the youth players who are expected to feature sometime soon.
“We will continue to develop our under-17 players who are within the squad but haven’t broken through to the match squad as yet. I think we would have still done those moves but our performance level has dipped since the break for the World Cup, and the Christmas break really hurt us. (Before the break) We had the two leading goalscorers, (Timar) Lewis and (Nicholas) Hamilton, and we were also leading the league,” he added.
According the experienced football administrator, he felt there was a need to bolster the attack which has seen the Harbour View outfit scoring a total of 17 goals (fourth best in the league) from their 13 games while conceding 12 (tied for sixth worse).
“We have incorporated a few young forwards to give us more options. The majority of the players brought in are attackers as we are trying to get back in good goalscoring form which will force more positive results, game by game, in our favour,” Jureidini believes.
He added that he is not perturbed at conceding the second-most goals in the top five, behind Arnett Gardens’ 14, as historically the team has never been an ultra-defensive unit.
“We have been stable and giving up a goal a game isn’t bad. We have never been an ultra-defensive unit, we’ve always been solid and our defensive unit is clearly very solid. It’s our attacking unit at the moment that hasn’t been clicking and that is what we want to get back working,” Jureidini said.