Former national players Kerry Jamerson and Ross Russell will take over as coach of TT Pro League Club, Defence Force for the 2007 season.
Newly elected Technical Director of the Club and another former national player Hutson ‘Barber’ Charles speaking with ‘ttproleague.com’ confirmed the Club’s new coaches saying, “I would be the Technical Director while Kerry Jamerson and Ross Russel were selected to be the Club’s coaches. They would work side by side and as far as I understand they are both coaches, no one more senior than the other,” he said.
Both Hutson Charles and Kerry Jamerson have assisted former Defence Force coach Anthony Barrington in the 2006 season while former national goalkeeper Ross Russel was with the Semi Professional team in 2006.
Barrington who is on pre-retirement leave, coached the Pro League Club back in 2001 and 2002 before taking a break and then returned as the Coach of the ‘Army Men’ in 2006 where they finished seventh in the League.
The 46-year-old Coast Guard Petty Officer Barrington explained his reason for retiring as Coach of the Defence Force football team is because of the compulsory retirement age in the service.
“I had no choice to retire because of the compulsory retirement age in the Defence Force. At present I am on leave and will go back out to work for two months this year and then go back on leave again straight into my retirement when I turn 47 in November,” explained Barrington.
Formally a musician and a past captain of the Solo Harmonites Pan Group, Barrington is back into his music but hopes to do some coaching in the near future, “I had always loved music more than football but had to relax from it because of the coaching commitments I had with the Defence Force team. Presently I’m back into my music and I am working with the Musical Gems for the Carnival period.”
“My love for music has always been there, but I am not retiring from the football for good. I hope to do some coaching in the US and would probably start later this year. I am looking at some coaching clinics in Philadelphia when schools are on a break,” ended the retired ‘Army’ coach.
Newly elected Technical Director and former national midfielder Hutson Charles adds that the new coaching staff has big plans for Defence Force and would be looking to boost their squad ahead of the 2007 season, “We have big plans for the team this season. Our newest addition to the team is former Starworld Strikers player Devon Lewis and we would be looking to introduce some of our Semi Professional players in the squad. Sherman Phillips, Sterling O’Brian and former national under-20 player Akeil Edwards who have been with the semi pro team in 2006 are possibilities for the Pro Team for the 2007 season.
“As for the regulars, we are expecting good performances from goal keeper Kevin Graham, Jerwyn Balthazar, Kevon Carter, Devon Jorsling and Christian Baptiste as this year we want to win some trophies,” ended the new Defence Force Technical Director.