TGFC want youthful squad for new season

Tivoli Gardens FC head coach Philip Williams has said that the club will rely on young players to bring glory back to the western Kingston outfit.

Williams, who took charge of the club in February following the departure of Omar Edwards, told STAR Sports that they have recruited a number of talented young players who are hungry and ready to achieve at the highest level.

“The objective is to form a team that is very competitive, but not only successful but to have the ambition and hunger to reach as far as possible in the upcoming season,” said Williams.

“I am trying to push a youthful squad this season, and there are a lot of promising youngsters who we have called and [who] have shown their interest to join the team.”

He continued: “This is the way to go because the youths are hungry to win and expressed themselves at this level as opposed to persons who think that they have done it all already, and so it is wise to push a youthful team, playing, of course, with some amount of experience.

“Football is a business venture, and youth are more marketable in this aspect, and so this is why we are moving in this direction.”

Tivoli missed the play-offs by three points last season after finishing seventh in the point standings. However, Williams pointed out that their preseason training has been going well so far and that he is pleased with the conditioning of the players as they prepare to enter the new Red Stripe Premier League season, which is scheduled to kick off in September.

“Last season, I took charge of the team at the back end of the competition, but now I am moving forward to have a full preseason and to get the guys to understand my philosophy where football is concerned and shape the team to what I want, and so I am really looking forward to that going into the new season,” said Williams.

“We are doing a lot of transfers right now to fill some of the gaps that we fell short in last season in creating a team that I think will do well in the upcoming season.”