CENTRAL FC will have reverted to a mainly locally-based team when they kick off the 2017 Digicel Pro League against San Juan Jabloteh on Saturday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
In a recent interview, Central’s operations manager Kevin Harrison described the hiring of foreigners for short stints as “an experiment that did not work out”.
Central hired a host of foreign-based players on short contracts, mainly with a view of defending their Caribbean title and qualifying for the 2017 CONCACAF Champions League. However, the Dale Saunders-coached unit could only finish fourth, losing the title they had won in 2015 and 2016.
Central have retained just two Haitians and a teenaged Antiguan defender, but have also signed an Antiguan goalkeeper.
Among those who left T&T following last month’s CFU Club Championship were Englismen Callum Harris, Clinton Olagunju, Michael Kedman and Lloyd Bannister; American Graham Smith and Jamaican keeper Richard Thompson.