Defending champion, Bmobile Joe Public has secured the services of T &T international goalkeepers Marvin Phillip and Glenroy Samuel for the upcoming 2010 season to fill the void left vacant by Colombian Alejandro Figueroa, who moved to rival club Ma Pau SC last month.
This was confirmed by head Coach Derek King during one of the Eastern Lions pre-season training sessions at the Marvin Lee Stadium recently.
Phillip joins the reigning league champion on loan from W Connection for the 2010 period, while Samuel, who was unattached following the 2009 season with United Petrotrin, was picked up, after that club decided against taking part this season.
Public’s third choice goalkeeper will be Andre Marchan, who was preferred over Daurance Williams. He is also a national, coming out of the Under-20 set-up.
With three T&T national goalies in his line-up, coach King noted that the club is now hoping to sign a top goalkeeping coach over the next week for the upcoming season.
The most successful 2009 club, with five-title (Digicel Pro League Championship, Big Six, Toyota Classic, FA Trophy and Digicel Pro Bowl), also signed former United Petrotrin defenders Nigel Daniel and Makan Hislop along with striker Trent Lougheed.
Sayid Freitas, who starred for Ma Pau in the previous two seasons, and Joe Public Super League defender Robbie Sookhai are also among the new players signed by King.
King and his assistant coaches Dale Saunders and Rajesh Latchman also have their eyes on Jamaican defender Lamar Hodges, of Habour View, along with a number of Joe Public Academy players.
Academy players Anselm Jackson, Neil Mitchell, Kerry Superville and Kenaz Williams are currently in training with the senior team and, according to coach King, the quartet will get their first taste of top football this season.
The Macoya-based clus is also expected to have a Singaporean player on trial in early March as coach King continues to boost his squad for the upcoming season.