DEFENDING champions Portmore United are currently without a coach weeks before the possible start of the Red Stripe Premier League on September 2 after coach Calvin Lewis resigned and returned to Highgate United.

Lewis, who handed in his resignation last week, told the Jamaica Observer the main reason for leaving was his desire to build a legacy at the St Mary outfit.

"I just wanted to go back to my team. I am building a nice team. In life you have to make some decisions and some people will take it kind and some unkind," said Lewis.

Last season, Lewis was at the helm of Highgate when they gained promotion to the Premier League but surprisingly, left to join Portmore United, which he guided to the coveted title.

Once, again, in another surprising move, Lewis, packed his bags and returned to Highgate.

Said Lewis: "The vibes was alright at Portmore, but I just wanted to go back to Highgate. Portmore is established and it's not a challenge," he said.

He added: "I am trying to get something established down here. I have a physical trainer now and an assistant and to set a real club structure for them. It's not much about coaching right now. I am building a legacy for them".

With the Premier League tentatively set for Sunday, September 2, with defending champions Portmore United set to open their campaign against promoted Savannah FC of Westmoreland, team manager Clive Marshall is not, however, perturbed about not having a head coach at this point.

"It is his decision and we can't knock him for whatever he decides to do. It is cause for concern but I won't bring it down to worry. We can't go into the season without a coach and we will have to fix that, but there is no quick fix to this kind of thing," Marshall explained.

"This is something that just happened; it was not three four weeks ago. It just surfaced last week, so there is nothing much that could be done as soon as we would like it," he noted.

With Harbour View changing coaches from Donovan Hayles to Vin Blaine, the enticing Portmore United job is available, but Marshall has received no calls from interested persons.

"I haven't seen anybody come forward as yet and I am pretty sure this is widespread. But I don't hear anybody calling and I don't know if they called any other management," said Marshall.

Currently, the team has been going through fitness drills, led by Andre Waugh, and Lewis' departure is the third for Portmore so far with national players Eric Vernon off to Harbour View and goalkeeper Gariece McPherson joining the promoted Cavalier FC.

"We are still in the pre-season and most of the times the bulk of the work would be coming from the trainers. When it gets closer to the season with the technical aspect of it, that's the time when the coaches start to play a part," said Marshall.