As Arnett Gardens FC preparation kicks into high gear, the club has put on a brave face as it prepares to take on Panamanian outfit Club Deportivo Arabe Unido, in the first leg of the Scotiabank CONCACAF League.

That match-up is slated for Panama City on Sunday, July 29, while the return leg will take place a week later at Arnett’s Kingston home, the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

“We have started a five-week preseason preparation phase leading into the game in Panama, and that has been going pretty well and the players have been working very hard… we have not played any practice games just yet, but we are still looking forward to some games before we leave here (Kingston) on the 27th of July,” Head Coach Jerome Waite outlined.

The Jamaica coach said while preparation for the CONCACAF League started a few weeks earlier, its programme is being conducted concurrently with the Red Stripe Premier League’s preseason exercise.

“The CONCACAF League preparation started a little earlier than that of the Premier League, and the fact that it has started means that it will have to continue leading to the start of the Premier League, which starts in September,” Waite explained.

He said while Arnett has “a core of players” coming into the new season, the many-time Jamaican champions are open to recruiting new blood to strengthen their ranks for all competitions.

“You have a lot of players who have shown interest, but my problem as it relates to that is that you would have to see them on a consistent basis and they would have to show me that they want to be a part of the Arnett Gardens family.

“So while a lot of players have shown interest, none has been signed at this time, but we are still looking as we progress,” Waite noted.

In the do-or-die home-and-away knockout tournament, the Arnett tactician concedes there is little room for error, and he will be taking Club Deportivo Arabe Unido seriously.

“The team from Panama is a good team and they are currently leading their competition back home. and they are playing some good football as they are moving the ball efficiently and they are technically sound.

“One thing I observed which I think will play in our favour is that they are not so fast and we have speed, nonetheless it will be a difficult task. but one of the key things is to go to Panama and to ensure that you don’t give up a goal; but offensively we are also strong and we will no doubt create problems for them,” said Waite.

The other Jamaican club participating in the new CONCACAF tournament is Premier League champions Portmore United, and they will be away to Costa Rica’s AD Santos de Guapiles on August 1.

Honduran club Olimpia are the defending CONCACAF League champions, having got the better of Santos de Guapiles 4-1 on penalties in the inaugural final last year.

— Sean Williams