Christojaye Daley earns loan opportunity in Europe
Agent points to critical first three monthsFormer coach believes he has the attitude to make it
Published:Thursday | February 3, 2022 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
CHRISTOJAYE DALEY, of Holland United in Trelawny, who spent last season on loan at Harbour View, completed a move this week to FC Koper in Slovenia, the club of Kaheem Parris.
Daley’s agent, Kevin Cowan, said it was important the 19-year-old quickly adapts and develops the mentality that will help him progress in his new surroundings. Cowan also believes that having Parris, who has three years’ experience playing in Europe, will be a great asset to the former William Knibb player.
“Christojaye Daley, a young player, transferred to FC Koper in Slovenia, the same club as Kaheem Parris. He is a really talented player. He is on a one-year loan from January until December 2022, with an option to make the transfer permanent,” revealed Cowan.
“Kaheem will be able to provide him with some support and help him to integrate into the team and in the new environment, which is very important,” he said.
Cowan said Daley, Harbour View’s second top scorer last season behind Oquassa Chong with three goals, is an exciting prospect with immense potential, tremendous technique and explosiveness, and that the sky is the limit, if he can develop a positive mindset.
“He has a really good understanding and feel for the game. If he should develop in Europe the way we would like, I see no reason why this guy could not reach a really high level. But that will depend on the player’s mindset.
“So my challenge to him is to develop that mentality that would match his talent. If he does that, in my mind that there is no limit for the player,” he said.
He added that how he adjusts over the next three months will be crucial to his progress.
CRITICAL STEPS
“The next steps are critical. And the next step is to adapt as quickly as possible to the new environment which entails everything, weather, language, food, lifestyle.
“It is for him to embrace everything quickly around him and try to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
“So for the next three months we are going to give them as much support to help him to adapt as quickly as possible. But the player has to be ready to face the obstacles or whatever the challenge.
“Once he is able to do that successfully in the next three months, then we can start going into what’s next.
“Once he integrates himself into the team and adapts quickly, I am very extremely confident he will excel and progress in the team,” he said.
Meanwhile, Holland’s president, Dwight Jeremiah, said Daley not only has the talent but the adaptability and attitude to take him to the next level.
“I am grateful to Koper for giving him the opportunity. It is the first step in a process of getting to the top level.
“His desire is to play in one of the top five leagues and this is a step in that direction. So the move to Koper will propel his desire to get to the next level,” he said.
“He is a talented player but you need other things to help you make it to the next level. He does a lot of work off the ball and he gets involved in duels. And that is why I believe he is going to make it,” he added.