Craig Stewart makes a tackle while representing Harbour View last season. - - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER FORMER NATIONAL Premier League champions Tivoli Gardens have added depth to their squad with the acquisition of utility player Craig Stewart, who was out of contract at Harbour View.
Tivoli Gardens manager Brian Rose confirmed the signing of the 30-year-old utility player yesterday.
"Yes, Craig is a Tivoli Gardens player and has been since the Wednesday before the transfer window closed. The only thing that was outstanding as far as the documents are concerned was his identification card which we understand is now ready," Rose told The Gleaner.
"He is a good acquisition for us as he is a versatile player, who can operate in midfield or any of the wingback positions and in fact he could turn out as early as this Sunday against Rivoli, depending on the coach," Rose said of the player who returned to the island last week.
SECOND TOUR OF DUTY
The 30-year-old Denham Town resident will actually be on his second tour of duty at Tivoli Gardens, having also played there in the early 90s. He also had stints with Olympic Gardens and Boys' Town.
The move to sign Stewart, who has been associated with Harbour View since 1998, was made after an approach from the player Rose said.
"When we were on tour in the United States in early August he approached us and indicated his interest in joining us as he was out of contract with Harbour View. With that being the case we decided to look into the matter," Rose explained.
Stewart, like many Jamaican footballers, was playing informal summer football in the United States was expected to join another of his former clubs, Boys' Town on his return or re-sign with Harbour View.
"That was the plan for him to come back to us," Donovan Hayles, coach of Harbour View said of re-signing Stewart. The player's decision to join Tivoli Gardens, Hayles added, could have been prompted by a fear of being left in the cold following his late return from the United States.
FEAR
"His (Stewart's) decision to join Tivoli Gardens could be as a result of a little fear. The situation is that a number of players go to America to play in the summer and return late every year. I told them that I would not really be waiting on anybody so I suppose he did not want to take the risk of coming back without any guarantees," said Hayles, a long-time Harbour View man.
"We cannot operate like that if we intend to move towards professionalism. They have to decide where there bread and butter is. The money may be good in the short term but they have to consider where their stable income is."
As for Boys' Town, their coach Andrew Price had indicated that he would be happy to have the player as with his ability and experience he could be a benefit to the team, but he was only interested in those committed to the Boys' Town cause.
"Players indicate all the time that they are interested but until they show up and show that they want to be here then all it is is just talk," Price said in reference to the arrival of Stewart and others earlier in the season.
N.W.
