3 weeks ago
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With nine managerial changes at the club since 2017, Harbour View are hoping they can find some stability with their current coaching staff, headed by Vassell Reynolds, as they seek to return to their glory days.
The Stars of the East have seen a revolving door of coaches since long-standing head coach Ludlow Bernard vacated the post in 2017.
Bernard, in stepping down, handed the reigns to Ricardo ‘Bibi’ Gardener, his then assistant coach, which had seemed a match made in heaven.
The former Reggae Boy and Harbour View player did not last long, however, as a year later he resigned amid a string of poor results.
Another former Reggae Boy and Harbour View player, Fabian Taylor, was selected as his replacement, but Taylor’s time in the role was even shorter, being shown the door after just six months.
This began a string of short-term coaching appointments at the club, both on interim and permanent bases.
Howard Cephas resigned after just three months in the job, Damion ‘Stew Peas’ Stewart was sacked after just two months, Jason ‘Buju’ Henry was also shown the door after two months, the same for their most recent ex-coach, Byjeon Thomas, who was fired after two full moons.
In fact, the only manager since Bernard’s departure to last an entire season at the club has been Bernard, who returned to the role in 2020, led the club to a league title in 2022, before stepping away once again in 2024.
Clyde Jureidini, Harbour View’s general manager, explained the frequent managerial changes, calling it a consequence of football being a result-based business.
He said the five-time national champions are determined to return to their title-contending ways, and are willing to make a change when they feel it is necessary.
“Football is global business and there are certain things that happen if you are a coach, a team manager, or if you’re in the forefront of leadership in a sport that is built on professionalism, consistency, and high performances,” Jureidini explained.
“If you get results, then you have stability, and you have potential for growth. If you are not getting good results, then you’re going to have to change persons, change policies, and you’re going to have to change the combinations to get better performances.”
Jureidini said the situation is the same for the current coaching staff, but he is hopeful they have found a stable solution in Reynolds along their touchline.
Reynolds, an experienced coach, will be hopeful he can return the club to the top of Jamaica’s football.
“Everybody who is in sports and in the football business knows what the terrain is, and we hope to get good performances and stability from the players, the coaches and the management staff; and then, by extension, the club will perform well, which is the goal here as it would be everywhere else in the world.”
Harbour View won the JPL title in 2022, but have finished outside the league’s top six for the past two seasons.
Jureidini is hopeful the team can turn their fortunes around and steadily climb up the league rankings.
“Every game in the Premier League is tough and as you can see, it is very, very competitive across the league this year. If you lose one game, you’ll fall a couple places, but if you win a game, you jump more than a few spaces, so we have to be more consistent.”
English (US) ·