Rangers, D/Force kick off Pro League

St Ann’s Rangers and Defence Force will kick off the 2012/2013 eight-team Digicel T&T Pro League season in the first match of a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 6 pm today. During the off-season Rangers completed what could clearly be described as a transformation of its senior team ahead of the new season. Like most of the other clubs, Rangers were busy in the off-season acquiring new players. However, the core of last year’s squad in the experienced Devon Modeste, Hector Sam, Elijah Belgrave and Mikhail Awai together with national under-23 striker Cameron Roget, Kyle Bartholomew and Theon James still remain. Coach Dean Pacheco snapped up former San Juan Jabloteh players defenders Jamal Jack and Christon Thomas and midfielders Jason Marcano and Andrew Smith have been brought in together with Under-23 goalkeeper Zane Coker, Kurdell Brathwaite, Raymond St Hillaire and goalkeeper Akel Clarke, and today he will be keen for a positive start against the Defence Force, which was shut-out 2-0 by W Connection in the Charity Shield at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, on Saturday last. 

 

 

“We now have a mixture of experience and youth,” explained Rangers Team Manager Adrian Romain. “We want to make sure that in years to come, we always have that balance in terms of experience and youth. With guys like Hector Sam, Elijah Belgrave and Modeste at the helm of things, it’s just the youths to come in so we can keep on rotating as time goes on.” Despite missing out on the Charity Shield, Defence Force coach Ross Russell will also be hoping for a winning start to the League. Last year, Defence Force had a skeleton roster without striker Devorn Jorsling who joined Caledonia AIA after a one-year stint with USL Pro club Orlando City in the USA, while a number of players including Corey Rivers, Kevon Carter and Jerwyn Balthazar missed a huge portion of the season while on military promotional courses.

 

 

In the second encounter of today’s double-header, Caribbean Football Union champions and last year’s third-placed league finisher, Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA, comes up against North East Stars. Caledonia, having started its season early in the Concacaf Champions League will be expected to get the edge on the new look Stars who will be led by newly appointed coach, Angus Eve. Expected to make his return to local football for Caledonia will be former Soca Warriors captain, Densill Theobald, after his one-year stint with Dempo FC in the Indian Football League while Stars will feature a number of new signings in Kerry Baptiste, Cleon John, Elijah Manners and Adrian Foncette alongside regulars’ Glenton Wolfe, Keryn Navarro, Akeil Guevarra and Seon Power. Tomorrow, Police and T&TEC will meet also at Mucurapo from 5pm, while the clash between defending league champion, DirecTV W Connection and newcomers, Central FC, has been re-scheduled to October 2 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. This is to facilitate’s W Connection Champions League match away to Guatemalan club, Xelaju.