T&T internationals Daneil Cyrus and Hughtun Hector have returned to Digicel T&T Pro League club, DirecTV W Connection following stints in the USA and Vietnam, respectively. Cyrus was released from another MLS club Chicago Fire last October after his loan contract expired.
Fire later traded current T&T international and former W Connection star Joevin Jones to the MLS’s Seattle Sounders in January. It was the third stint abroad for Cyrus, an ex-T&T FIFA Under-17 and U-20 player, after representing MLS outfit Sporting Kansas City in 2011 and Vietnam League 1 side Ha Noi T&T in 2014.
Cyrus was available for Connection’s clash with Club Sando yesterday at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium as the Savonetta Boys attempted to capture their maiden Akeem Adams Trophy by winning Round Two of the Digicel Pro League championship. However, Hector, 31, who spent the last five years in Vietnam with spells at V League 1 sides Song lam Nghe An and Hanoi T&T, will not be a number in Connection’s squad today as his transfer is still being processed.
W Connection coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier said while he is happy to have Cyrus and Hector join his already “exceptional” squad of youngsters, he believes both players have the quality to return to the international leagues.
W Connection has already captured two major titles this season, the First Citizens Cup and Toyota Classic, and are two points ahead of rivals and defending league champions Central FC for the Akeem Adams Trophy, which was part of the Couva Sharks seven-title haul last season. Charles-Fevrier also utilised the January/February transfer window to acquire the services of defender/midfielder Paolo Santiago De la Guardia Alvarez of Panama.
The 25-year-old De la Guardia last represented SD Panama Oeste in the Panama Second Division and will help boost the Savonetta Boys roster for the remainder of the season including the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (SCCL) qualifiers.
W Connection launches its quest for a fifth SCCL qualification from Wednesday when it host CS Moulien (Guadeloupe), Inter Moengotapoe (Suriname), and Atletico San Cristobal (Dominican Republic) in Group One of the opening round of the 2016 Caribbean Club Championship at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
Last season W Connection fell 2-1 in the final against rivals Central FC.
Central FC was initially scheduled to travel to Jamaica this weekend as well, to contest Group Three, but CFU was forced to switch the dates to March as a precautionary measure due to General Elections safety concerns in Jamaica according to Central FC’s director of operations Kevin Harrison.
...Guerra, Gomez seek USA moves
Central FC and T&T creative midfielder Ataulla Guerra, and 19-year-old W Connection right-back Shannon Gomez, are both currently on trials in the USA and are hoping to secure moves abroad.
The 28-year-old Guerra, who had a stint in Finland with Rovaniemen Palloseura (RoPS) in 2013, is seeking his second overseas move but first in North America with Charleston Battery of the US Soccer League (USL)—the third tier of football in USA.
Speaking on the possible move away by Guerra, Central FC Director of Operations, Harrison said, “We would surely miss Guerra if he does secure a deal because he has always been an integral part of the team and the success we have had.
But we are not interested in standing in the way of any of our players moving abroad to better opportunities.” Gomez, T&T U-20 captain and recent senior team call-up, meanwhile is hoping to impress Arsenal and France legend Patrick Vieira, who serves as coach of Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit, New York City FC, which is co-owned by English Premier League giants Manchester City.
CFU Club Championship
Preliminary Round
Group 1 (Ato Boldon Stadium – Couva, Trinidad)
W Connection (T&T)
Club Sportif Moulien (Guadeloupe)
Inter Moengotapoe (Suriname)
Atletico San Cristobal (Dominican Republic)
February 24
Inter Moengotapoe vs Club Sportif Moulien
W Connection vs Atletico San Cristobal
February 26
Atletico San Cristobal vs Inter Moengo Tapoe
W Connection vs Club Sportif Moulien
February 28
Club Sportif Moulien vs Atletico San Cristobal
W Connection vs Inter Moengo Tapoe
Group 2 (Stade Sylvio Cato – Petion Ville, Haiti)
Don Bosco FC (Haiti)
Somerset Cricket Club (Bermuda)
La Gauloise de Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe)
February 24
Don Bosco FC vs Somerset Cricket Club
February 26
La Gauloise de Basse-Terre vs Somerset Cricket Club
February 28
Don Bosco FC vs La Gauloise de Basse-Terre
Group 4 (Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Club Atletico Pantoja (Dominican Republic)
America FC (Haiti)
Arnett Gardens FC (Jamaica)
SV Notch (Suriname)
March 2
Arnett Gardens FC vs America FC
Club Atletico Pantoja vs SV Notch
March 4
SV Notch vs Arnett Gardens FC
Club Atletico Pantoja vs America FC
March 6
America FC vs SV Notch
Club Atletico Pantoja vs Arnett Gardens
Group 3 (Montego Bay Sports Complex – Montego Bay, Jamaica)
Montego Bay United (Jamaica)
Scholars International SC (Cayman Islands)
Central FC (T&T)
March 9
Montego Bay United vs Scholars International SC
March 11
Central FC vs Scholars International SC
March 13
Montego Bay United vs Central FC
Final Round: April 29 Semi-Final 1
Winners Group 1 vs Winners Group 4
Semi-Final 2
Winners Group 2 vs Winners Group 3
Finals
May 1