Jureidini hails loan moves

Harbour View Football Club's general manager, Clyde Jureidini, believes that local teams have much to gain from fostering relationships with their regional counterparts, with player exposure and experience being paramount.

The Harbour View pair of Christopher Harvey and Nicholas Beckett have left to join new United Soccer League (USL) franchise Antigua Barracudas on loan until August. The pair will be joined by Arnett Gardens striker Newton Sterling.

The Barracudas are an Antiguan professional football team based in St John's, Antigua and Barbuda. It was founded in 2010. Last year, the team played a series of exhibition matches, losing 2-1 to Harbour View in one such encounter. With budgetary constraints tight for local Premier League clubs, the Stars of the East manager believes that loan moves could offer some clubs a little wiggle room in the summer months and allow the players to stay in shape.

Great exposure

"It's exposure for the guys, exposure for the clubs. That kind of bonding, so to speak, with clubs around the region is a positive thing," Jureidini told The Gleaner.

Christopher Harvey is the experienced caretaker of the Harbour View defensive third. He is well travelled and has played for Trinidad and Tobago's W-Connection as well as earning a call-up for the national squad. Jureidini, however, believes it is players like Beckett, who only broke into the first team from the reserves a few seasons ago, who stand to gain a lot from such a loan move.

"It is a way to gain experience. For the younger players, it is a way for them to develop, which can gain them exposure not only here, but outside the region," he said.

"At Harbour View, we have the goal of developing our young talent, which we hope will not only aid the club, but aid in their growth as future national players as well."

The Barracudas got off to a losing start to their USL Pro campaign, going down 2-1 to the Los Angeles Blues at the Sticky Wicket Stadium on Sunday night.