Bennett poised to move to ‘greener pastures’
BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Reggae Boy Teofore Bennett is poised for a move away from Swedish club Osters IF after playing there for a season-and-a-half and is headed for “greener pastures.”
While refusing to say on record where he is headed, the 27-year-old Bennett said the move is a “dream come true”, describing it as “a real accomplishment” and something he has been working towards for a long time.
Bennett, who watched his alma mater Cedric Titus lose 1-0 to St James High at Elliston Wakeland Centre in a daCosta Cup Inter-Zone game on Thursday, said negotiations should be completed within the next two weeks or so, and by then, he would be in a position to say which club he would be going to when the next FIFA transfer window opens.
The former Village United striker who is sporting a new Rastafarian dreadlock and a full beard look, was hardly able to contain his excitement at the prospects of the move.
After a decent first season at Osters where he got off to a fast start, scoring four times in his first six games after his move from United Soccer Leagues (USL) second division Harrisburg City Islanders, he described the past season as “an OK one.”
The team struggled this season and was relegated to the second division after earning promotion for the 200-7-08 season.
Bennett, who scored for Jamaica against the United States in South Carolina last year and last played for the national team against Peru at the National Stadium last November, scored just seven goals this past season, but said he played mostly from midfield and was involved in setting up most of the goals for this team-mates.
He also scored four times for Osters in the Cup where they advanced to the semi-finals.
Bennett, who said he has been in the island for the past week-and-a-half after playing his final game of the Swedish season for Osters on October 27, said he is keeping fit by training with Village United.
Asked whether he was disappointed by not being called up by interim national coach Theodore Whitmore for Jamaica’s two international friendlies today and Wednesday, Bennett said no.
“Only 18 players can be on the team at any one time and only 11 can play at any given time, but I’ll be ready whenever they call me up again,” he said.
He said he supports the national team and coaching staff, adding he was “100 per cent fit and ready to go and always willing to represent Jamaica any time they call on me.”
Bennett is the third Jamaican to play professional football in Sweden after national team-mates Khari Stephenson and Luton Shelton — who is now plying his trade in England.
BENNETT... impending move a dream come true
BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
reidp@jamaicaobserver.com
FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Reggae Boy Teofore Bennett is poised for a move away from Swedish club Osters IF after playing there for a season-and-a-half and is headed for “greener pastures.”
While refusing to say on record where he is headed, the 27-year-old Bennett said the move is a “dream come true”, describing it as “a real accomplishment” and something he has been working towards for a long time.
Bennett, who watched his alma mater Cedric Titus lose 1-0 to St James High at Elliston Wakeland Centre in a daCosta Cup Inter-Zone game on Thursday, said negotiations should be completed within the next two weeks or so, and by then, he would be in a position to say which club he would be going to when the next FIFA transfer window opens.
The former Village United striker who is sporting a new Rastafarian dreadlock and a full beard look, was hardly able to contain his excitement at the prospects of the move.
After a decent first season at Osters where he got off to a fast start, scoring four times in his first six games after his move from United Soccer Leagues (USL) second division Harrisburg City Islanders, he described the past season as “an OK one.”
The team struggled this season and was relegated to the second division after earning promotion for the 200-7-08 season.
Bennett, who scored for Jamaica against the United States in South Carolina last year and last played for the national team against Peru at the National Stadium last November, scored just seven goals this past season, but said he played mostly from midfield and was involved in setting up most of the goals for this team-mates.
He also scored four times for Osters in the Cup where they advanced to the semi-finals.
Bennett, who said he has been in the island for the past week-and-a-half after playing his final game of the Swedish season for Osters on October 27, said he is keeping fit by training with Village United.
Asked whether he was disappointed by not being called up by interim national coach Theodore Whitmore for Jamaica’s two international friendlies today and Wednesday, Bennett said no.
“Only 18 players can be on the team at any one time and only 11 can play at any given time, but I’ll be ready whenever they call me up again,” he said.
He said he supports the national team and coaching staff, adding he was “100 per cent fit and ready to go and always willing to represent Jamaica any time they call on me.”
Bennett is the third Jamaican to play professional football in Sweden after national team-mates Khari Stephenson and Luton Shelton — who is now plying his trade in England.
BENNETT... impending move a dream come true
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