DirecTV W Connection improved its status as one of the powerhouses of T&T football by signing the first Italian player in the TT Pro League.
On Monday, the Couva-based club announced signing 24-year-old Italian striker Mirko Delia and Brazilian right-back João Ananias Jordão Júnior ahead of the 2013-2014 season, which includes challenging top clubs of the region in the Concacaf Champions League.
Delia, a former player of present Serie A outfit Calcio Catania and a former Italy Under-20 striker, penned a one-year agreement with Connection which leaves for Cali, Colombia today for a 3-week camp as part of its 2013-14 preseason preparations. “I would say he (Delia) is one of the highest profile signings (of W Connection) in terms of where he has played already,” said W Connection president David John-Williams.
Delia will add to an enigmatic Connection offense which includes the likes of defender-turned-attacking midfielder Joevin Jones, Surinamese forward Stefano Rijssel, forwards Hashim Arcia and Jerrel Britto, and wide attacking teenager Neil Benjamin.
Meanwhile, Jordão, 22, on a six-month loan deal from Brazil’s First Division outfit Clube Nãutico Capibaride, is another high profile addition to head coach Stuart Charles Fevrier’s roster.
Jordao boosts the back-line which also welcomed the return of 22- year-old Mekeil Williams, who recently completed a short stint with the now dissolved Danish club FC Fyn, and includes the likes of Daneil Cyrus, Kurt Frederick and Leslie Russell. When quizzed as to how Delia and Jordao came to join Connection, John-Williams preferred to keep his secrets close to his chest.
“We are a resourceful club,” he said with a bit of laughter. “When we want something we go after it. We have contacts all over the world.”
W Connection’s pre-season trip to Cali, Colombia will include an intense training programme and four games, including two games against top teams Deportivo de Cali and America de Cali, according to the Couva-based club. “It’s all about preparations for the season,” explained Charles-Fevrier.
“It’s simply our pre-season. We just decided to go to Colombia. We want to continue with our fitness programme, and we also want to get some high quality match practice.” Connection will travel with a 27-man squad which includes on-trial Tobagonian striker Jem Gordon.
Gordon, 19, who trialed at Connection last season and is attached to Tobago 1976 Phoenix, recently showed sharpness in front of goal during a visit by English League One club Walsall FC. Gordon is said to be in his final stage of trial at Connection, and following the Colombia trip, a final decision will be made.
Defender Daneil Cyrus and midfielder Joevin Jones, presently with the T&T Men’s Senior Team, which on Monday advanced into the quarterfinal round of the Concacaf Gold Cup and will face Mexico on Saturday, are expected to join the Connection camp in Cali, Colombia, following national team assignments.
Connection, which finished third in the Digicel Pro League last season and captured the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield and Digicel Pro Bowl titles, will then travel from Colombia to Panama on August 6 ahead of its opening game of the 2013-14 Concacaf Champions League against Panama's Arabe Unido on Thursday August 8 at the Armando Dely Valdes Stadium.
Connection will then return to T&T to take 2012-13 Major League Soccer (MLS) runners-up Houston Dynamo at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, on August 20. Connection, Dynamo and Arabe Unido occupy Group One.