W’House players await fate at Rapids
IT is now a wait and see situation for Waterhouse FC after their three young players returned home last Thursday from a two-week trial stint with United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit, Colorado Rapids.
Three of the Jamaican club’s most promising players in captain and midfielder Kenardo Forbes, striker Andre Clennon and defender Theo Brown were on trial in the US and club president Ricky Chin has his ears glued to his cellular telephone.
“It’s a wait and see and I wouldn’t mind if I get a call to send them back,” Chin told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
“I am waiting to see the assessment come in writing. The technical director was very encouraged by what he saw from them and while nobody came back with a contract, I don’t think the door is closed,” he pointed out.
The three players strutted their stuff at Colorado Rapids and were assessed by technical director Paul Bravo, who had them in his office while discussing their performances over the phone with Chin.
“They have told them what they need to work on and they could be call back in July when the window opens, or maybe next season. If they need any of them they would have seen them and know what they’re capable of doing,” Chin explained.
According to Chin, former national Under-20 striker Clennon scored two beautiful goals in a friendly encounter which impressed Bravo because he scored with his feet, hitting the ball into the roof on the net while on the run, and then a header.
The Rapids coaching staff was also impressed with the passing ability of Forbes, who earned a senior cap recently, and the composure shown by centre-half Brown.
“There where there for 10 days and for the technical director to BB (BlackBerry) me and tell me that, it simply means that they saw something. He had the three of them in his office while speaking to me and saying that they will be having a meeting on them and will develop their recommendations and assessment and send it to me,” said Chin.
Chin also pointed out that the three players have now been exposed to a more a professional organisation and says that if they want to achieve, it’s up to them to put their best foot forward.
All three players are members of the current National U-21 squad in training for the CAC Games in July and are prospects for the National U-23 team to play in the Olympic Qualifiers next year.
After watching Reggae Boy Omar Cummings enjoy something of a breakthrough season in the MLS last year with eight goals and 12 assists, the Colorado Rapids are eyeing the region for talent. In February, they gave Rivoli marksman Devon Hodges a trial stint, but he failed to secure a contract.