Daley linked to Portmore as former champs make cautious return to top flight
MAY PEN, Clarendon — Promoted Red Stripe Premier League outfit Portmore United are under no immediate pressure to reclaim their ‘super club’ status, according to their Coach Jeffrey Hewitt.
Following a season in the second tier, the former five-time national champions return to premiership action today when they play away to last season’s runners-up Montego Bay United in St James.
But instead of shooting for an extravagant comeback, Hewitt said their primary focus this campaign is to rebuild the club one step at a time.
“Going into the season, we are cautiously optimistic,” said Hewitt. “Of course, once you are in a competition you are there to compete, but at the same time we are not going to be naïve because we are basically in a rebuilding process.”
He added: “The majority of the players in this group — though they might have some Premier League experience — are coming from the Under-21 and Under-17 teams. They were the ones who got us promoted and we decided to move forward with them. So the main purpose coming back into the league is really to solidify our status and take it from there.”
Speaking to the Jamaica Observer on Thursday, Hewitt described their season opener against Montego Bay as an early litmus test.
“We are upbeat,” he said. “It is our first game back and we are going up against a team that has solidified their status as one of the top teams in the country. They won the title in 2014, they were second last season, and they are now playing in the Champions League, so it will be a good test for us.
“At the moment, we are where we want to be in terms of our fitness level. But this game will definitely tell us where we are in terms of our overall readiness and what we need to work on going forward.”
Hewitt also shed light on the club’s decision to return to their birth parish, Clarendon, where they will be playing their home games at the Middlesex International College in May Pen.
“We are having some issues with our venue (Ferdie Neita Park). The drought affected us badly, so we are currently doing some work on it. Until then, we need an alternative so we decided to play the games in Clarendon until venue is ready.”
Of the notable names associated with the club this season is former star player midfielder Omar Daley, who is set to return after solid professional stints in Scotland and England.
— Oshane Tobias
