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CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh is intent on expanding the horizons where local club football is concerned.


Jabloteh will be hosting MLS team the New York Metrostars from March 13th to 18th. The visit by the Metrostars is all part of Jabloteh’s pre-season plans as they get ready for a hectic 2005 professional league season.

The U.S. based squad will arrive on Sunday March 13th—after which they will conduct their first training session on the 14th at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and will then take on Jabloteh in their first bit of competitive action on the 15th back at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

The Metrostars head back to the stadium on the 16th and 17th for back to back training sessions—before traveling down south to the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium to tackle another Pro League outfit in Vibe CT 105 W Connection on Friday 18th March.

This will wrap up the short visit as they depart on Saturday 19th.

The anticipation in the Jabloteh camp is high—as everyone is very excited about the visit. Jabloteh.com spoke with the club’s Vice President Dennis Phillip and he expressed the view that this visit is the first of many more to come as Jabloteh aims to expand their horizon.

“This visit is an important one, as we hope it will accomplish a number of objectives, first of all we want to heighten the Trinidad and Tobago football public’s appreciation of local club football, as we prove that Jabloteh and other Pro League teams can match club teams from the leading leagues in the world.”

Mr. Phillip added another major objective is to show the top teams around the world what Trinidad and Tobago has to offer in terms of training facilities and good quality opposition for pre-season warm up games.

“We want to encourage Metrostars and other clubs to come to Trinidad and be exposed to quality club football,” said Mr. Phillip.

The club’s Vice President concluded that this pre-season tour by the Metrostars would also create a new level of exposure for the players.

“This is an opportunity for our players to gain valuable experience, play against different and good quality opposition from clubs all over the world, and can also spark lucrative contracts for our players.”

President Jerry Hospedales is also eagerly looking forward to the visit by the New York Metrostars—and said over the years as a football club Jabloteh has been disappointed at the lack of support by the national community towards local football and Mr. Hospedales assured that Jabloteh will be making a concerted effort to build their fan base and develop a sustained spectator participation for the 2005 season.

Jabloteh have also granted fellow Pro League team W Connection the opportunity to challenge the Metrostars on their visit to this country.

W Connection owner David John Williams told jabloteh.com that he was excited about the prospect of facing the likes of the New York Metrostars.

Mr. Williams said, “We at W Connection are always happy to meet and challenge good, quality opposition, we have begun our pre season preparations since January 16th and this match fits right into our plans.”

The excitement about this short visit extends outside of Trinidad as even the Metrostars are bubbling with enthusiasm ahead of their trip to Trinidad and Tobago.

Jabloteh.com caught up with the Manager of the New York Metrostars Mr.
Orlando Congruta, and he says this is the Metrostars very first official visit to not only Trinidad but also to the Caribbean and Mr. Congruta says the entire club is looking forward to the trip.

“Its great to be able to get this kind of pre-season experience and we are looking forward to the two games,” Mr. Congruta added, “I hope this visit is the start of bigger and better things—I hope we will now see other MLS clubs visiting Trinidad and more importantly I hope we will spot some good talent, after all that’s how we snapped up T&T’s striker, Jabloteh’s very own Cornell Glenn.”